Principal Engineer Nuclear Systems - Plant Operations

GE Vernova; City of Schenectady (NY); On-site; USD 132,000 - 219,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Job summary

GE Vernova seeks a Principal Engineer and CTH to unite diverse controls disciplines into a single, high-quality nuclear plant digital control solution. You will lead technical directions, mentor engineers, and drive engineering excellence on complex nuclear projects.

The role focuses on governance, safety, and regulatory compliance, with 25% travel within North America and occasional international travel. Applicants must be U.S. persons due to export-controlled information access.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree required.
• 10+ years of engineering or operations in Nuclear Power.
• 10 years of Instrumentation & Control (I&C) in regulated, safety-critical environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a recognized technical authority within Nuclear Plant Controls; set standards and influence engineering decisions.
• Establish integration frameworks for control system requirements, architecture, and V&V methodologies with regulatory compliance (10 CFR 50.59).
• Represent nuclear safety-critical design standards to influence product roadmaps and regulatory adherence.
• Provide technical safety oversight across lifecycle of complex, multi-discipline nuclear integrations.
• Own critical technical deliverables contributing to Nuclear Plant Controls success.
• Collaborate with Steam Turbine Controls group to review designs and align strategy.
• Identify risks, lead cross-functional resolution, and mitigate at system level.
• Stay current with technologies, regulations, and industry trends to drive innovation.
• Mentor engineers and promote a System-Level Mindset across teams.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Job description

Job Description Summary

As Principal Engineer and Controlled Title Holder (CTH) for our Nuclear Plant Controls Services business, your mandate is to assure that our disparate controls disciplines coalesce into a singular, high-quality, reliable nuclear plant digital control solution.

Job Description Summary

As Principal Engineer and Controlled Title Holder (CTH) for our Nuclear Plant Controls Services business, your mandate is to assure that our disparate controls disciplines coalesce into a singular, high-quality, reliable nuclear plant digital control solution.

The Principal Engineer (CTH) serves as the recognized subject matter expert providing advanced technical leadership to the controls nuclear engineering team. You are responsible for driving engineering excellence, supporting complex nuclear projects, and mentoring next generation engineers.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a recognized technical authority within the Nuclear Plant Controls space, setting standards and influencing key engineering decisions and driving risk framework.
• Methodology & Governance: Establish an integration framework for control system requirements, architecture, and V&V methodologies for the nuclear fleet. Utilize deep expertise in 10 CFR 50.59 and regulatory design processes to ensure compliance and technical safety throughout the lifecycle of complex, multi-disciplined nuclear integrations.
• Regulatory & Safety Advocacy: Represent the business as an expert regarding nuclear safety-critical design standards; influence product roadmaps to assure compliance with the evolving global regulatory landscape.
• Systemic Integrity Oversight: Provide an overarching technical safety lens. While Project Engineers (PEs) and Technical Leaders (TLs) manage individual delivery, you ensure that technical safety and reliability margins remain uncompromised throughout the lifecycle of complex, multi-disciplined nuclear integrations.
• Strategic Interface & Requirements: Own the "glue" among requirements. Oversee how overlapping value streams interact to ensure that technical dependencies are transparent, traceable, and validated for quality.
• Own critical technical deliverables that contribute to the success of the Nuclear Plant Controls team.
• Collaborate directly with the Steam Turbine Controls Principal Engineer and Steam Power Operability team to review designs, align strategy, and provide technical direction.
• Identify technical risks, lead cross-functional problem resolution, and define effective mitigations at the system level.
• Stay current with emerging technologies, regulations, and industry trends to drive innovation and maintain technical relevance.
• Influence-Based Leadership: Mentor and develop the engineering pipeline. Champion a "System-Level Mindset," ensuring every engineer understands their contribution to the broader nuclear plant operational profile.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Engineering
• At least 10 years of experience in engineering or operations capacity in Nuclear Power.
• 10 years of Instrumentation & Control (I&C) systems within highly regulated, safety-critical environments.

Eligibility Requirements

• This role is restricted to U.S. persons (i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and other protected individuals under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to access to export-controlled technology. GE will require proof of status prior to employment.
• 25% travel within North America (mainly Eastern US & Canada) - Occasional International travel.

Desired Characteristics

• Mechanical, Nuclear or Electrical Engineering advanced Degrees.
• Licensed Reactor Operator (Desired): We will evaluate the candidate’s operational awareness and system-level perspective during the interview process.
• Proven ability to lead technical teams and deliver results.
• Exceptional ability to align cross-functional technical teams toward a common objective without direct line authority over project execution.
• Systems Integration Fluency: Deep understanding of the interplay between I&C platforms, electrical power systems, and Nuclear Balance-of-Plant (BOP) operations.
• Architectural Defense: Proven ability to lead high-stakes technical reviews and successfully defend complex system architectures to internal stakeholders and external regulators.
• Strategic Clarity: A gift for distilling multi-layered, system-level technical challenges into actionable, executable strategies.
• Regulatory & Process Fluency: Demonstrated excellence in applying 10 CFR 50.59 and complex regulatory design processes to project lifecycles.
• Experience interfacing with customers, conferences, user groups.
• Experience and demonstrated success working in a complex cross-functional environment.

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. If applicable, final offers will be contingent on ability to obtain authorization for access to U.S. export-controlled information from the U.S. Government.

Additional Information

GE Vernova offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation.

GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Vernova will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).

Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes

Application Deadline: October 30, 2026

For candidates applying to a U.S. based position, the pay range for this position is between $131,700.00 and $219,300.00. The Company pays a geographic differential of 110%, 120% or 130% of salary in certain areas. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set.

Bonus eligibility: discretionary annual bonus.

This posting is expected to remain open for at least seven days after it was posted on September 14, 2026.

Available benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to Health Coach from GE Vernova, a 24/7 nurse-based resource; and access to the Employee Assistance Program, providing 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Vernova Retirement Savings Plan, a tax-advantaged 401(k) savings opportunity with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and financial planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability benefits, life insurance, 12 paid holidays, and permissive time off.

GE Vernova Inc. or its affiliates (collectively or individually, “GE Vernova”) sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs GE Vernova reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace, or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a GE Vernova welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.