PRA Engineer

Aalo Atomics; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading clean energy company in Austin, TX is seeking a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Engineer to join its team. The role involves developing PRA models for advanced nuclear reactor designs and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Candidates should have at least five years of experience in PRA within the nuclear industry and a relevant Bachelor's degree. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the deployment of safe and reliable nuclear technologies.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of relevant experience in Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA).
• Demonstrated experience in performing or managing a PRA study for a nuclear plant.
• Familiarity with the ASME/ANS PRA Standard for Advanced Non-Light Water Nuclear Power Plants.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain comprehensive PRA models for advanced reactor designs.
• Assess event sequences and their frequency and consequences.
• Collaborate with design engineers on SSC safety functions for PRA modeling.

Skills

Problem-solving

Analytical skills

Adaptability

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, or Mathematics

Job description

Aalo Atomics is pioneering a new era in clean energy with factory-fabricated microreactors designed to deliver affordable, scalable, and reliable nuclear power. Our mission is to make nuclear energy globally accessible, starting with the Aalo-1, a 10 MWe reactor leveraging cutting-edge safety, modularity, and efficiency. Based in Austin, TX, we’re rapidly growing as we work to deploy the world’s first fleet of advanced microreactors. Join us and help revolutionize energy for a sustainable future.

About the role

Aalo Atomics is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Engineer to join our dynamic team focused on the design, licensing, and deployment of cutting-edge nuclear reactor technologies. In this critical role, you will be instrumental in developing and applying PRA models to inform reactor design, support licensing applications, and ensure the highest standards of safety and reliability for our advanced reactor projects. Your work will directly contribute to establishing a robust safety case and maintaining continuous compliance with regulatory requirements.

What you'll do

• Develop, update, and maintain comprehensive PRA models for our advanced reactor designs, addressing all relevant initiating events, plant operating states (POSs), and hazard groups, including internal events, internal and external floods, internal fires, seismic events, high winds, and other external hazards.
• Systematically enumerate event sequences and assess their frequency and consequences, including contributions from common-cause failures.
• Define PRA Safety Functions (PSFs) and identify associated Structures, Systems, and Components (SSCs) critical for preventing or mitigating radioactive material releases.
• Apply PRA to evaluate safety characteristics and provide structured inputs for the selection and classification of Licensing Basis Events (LBEs) (Anticipated Operational Occurrences, Design Basis Events, Beyond Design Basis Events).
• Utilize PRA to inform performance targets for SSC capability and reliability.
• Licensing & Regulatory Support:
• Prepare and submit PRA documentation and results to support various licensing applications, including Construction Permits (CP), Operating Licenses (OL), Combined Licenses (COL), and Design Certifications (DC).
• Ensure PRA scope, level of detail, and quality are consistent with regulatory guidance and the specific design stage of the plant.
• Develop methodologies for determining site characteristics, external hazard assessments, and off-site radiological dose projections.
• Address PRA needs related to specific regulatory requirements such as 10 CFR 50.71(h).
• Quality & Assurance:
• Participate in PRA peer reviews and self-assessments in accordance with NRC-endorsed standards (e.g., ASME/ANS Advanced Non-LWR PRA Standard, NEI 20-09) to ensure technical adequacy and fidelity to the as-designed and as-operated plant.
• Implement and maintain a robust PRA configuration control program to ensure the PRA model accurately reflects design evolution, plant modifications, and operational practices.
• Identify and evaluate uncertainties and assumptions in PRA models.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Work closely with design engineers to define SSC safety functions for PRA modeling and to confirm consistency with planned design and operational practices.
• Collaborate with Human Factors Engineering (HFE) teams on Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) and operator actions.
• Support the development of procedures and training programs by providing PRA insights.

Qualifications

Required

• Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, or Mathematics from an accredited institution.
• Experience:
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) within the nuclear power industry.
• Demonstrated experience in performing or managing at least one PRA study for a nuclear plant or design.
• Familiarity with the ASME/ANS PRA Standard for Advanced Non-Light Water Nuclear Power Plants (ASME/ANS RA-S-1.4-2021) and its application.
• Knowledge of U.S. nuclear regulatory guidelines and requirements pertaining to PRA (e.g., 10 CFR 50, 10 CFR 52, RGs 1.233, 1.247).
• Experience in internal events, internal and external hazards, and plant operating states analysis.

Preferred

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Nuclear Engineering or a related field.
• Experience in performing PRA peer reviews or self‑assessments.
• Familiarity with Human Factors Engineering (HFE) principles and their integration with PRA.
• Experience with risk‑informed applications (e.g., risk‑informed technical specifications, inservice inspections).

Core Competencies

• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently and within multi‑disciplinary teams.
• Adaptability in a fast‑paced, evolving R&D environment.
• Commitment to quality assurance (NQA-1), safety culture, and regulatory compliance.