Senior FEA Analyst - Nuclear Fuel Behavior & Operations

Protingent; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Protingent Staffing is seeking a Senior FEA Analyst – Nuclear Fuel Behavior & Operations for a direct-hire role in Austin, TX. You will lead high-fidelity multi-physics fuel modeling and safety analyses using BISON, FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN, and ENIGMA, driving V&V in strict Q/A alignment.

Ideal candidates hold a Master’s or Ph.D. in a relevant field with 5–8+ years in computational mechanics and nuclear fuel performance, plus experience with Abaqus/ANSYS and scripting to automate workflows.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a highly relevant engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 5–8+ years of experience in computational mechanics, with at least 3 years dedicated to nuclear fuel performance modeling or core materials evaluation.
• Advanced proficiency with nuclear fuel burnup and performance codes (specifically BISON or FRAPCON), paired with commercial implicit solvers (Abaqus or ANSYS Mechanical).
• Deep understanding of high-temperature material science, radiation effects on materials (swelling, creep), and fracture mechanics.
• Proven capability in scripting and code customization (Python, C++, or Fortran) to automate workflows and implement custom material subroutines.
• Familiarity with nuclear quality assurance frameworks (NQA-1).

Responsibilities

• Multi-Physics Fuel Modeling: Develop and execute high-fidelity 2D and 3D finite element models to simulate thermo-mechanical behavior of fuel rods, pellets, and cladding under steady-state, transient, and accident scenarios (RIA/LOCA).
• Interface & Interaction Analysis: Evaluate Pellet-Cladding Mechanical & Thermal Interactions, capturing stress concentrations and cladding strain.
• Microstructural Performance Integration: Simulate time- and burnup-dependent fuel phenomena including fission gas release, fuel swelling, densification, thermal conductivity degradation, and cladding creep/hydriding.
• Code Application & Customization: Utilize and adapt state-of-the-art nuclear fuel performance codes (e.g., BISON, FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN, ENIGMA) with commercial solvers.
• V&V and Quality Assurance: Lead Verification and Validation procedures for fuel performance models in accordance with ASME NQA-1 quality standards.
• Regulatory Technical Support: Compile, review, and authorize technical reports and licensing topical reports to defend fuel safety margins before NRC.

Skills

Computational mechanics

Nuclear fuel modeling

Python scripting

C++ programming

Fortran programming

Education

Master’s or Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering or related

Tools

BISON

FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN

Abaqus

ANSYS Mechanical

ENIGMA

Job description

Job Description

Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Senior FEA Analyst – Nuclear Fuel Behavior & Operations opportunity.

Position Title

Senior FEA Analyst – Nuclear Fuel Behavior & Operations

Position Description

Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Senior FEA Analyst – Nuclear Fuel Behavior & Operations opportunity.

Job Responsibilities

• Multi-Physics Fuel Modeling: Develop and execute high-fidelity 2D and 3D finite element models to simulate the coupled thermo-mechanical behavior of fuel rods, pellets, and cladding under steady-state, transient, and accident scenarios (RIA/LOCA).
• Interface & Interaction Analysis: Conduct detailed evaluations of Pellet-Cladding Mechanical Interactions (PCMI) and Pellet-Cladding Thermal Interactions (PCTI), capturing localized stress concentrations, mechanical locking, and cladding strain.
• Microstructural Performance Integration: Simulate time- and burnup-dependent fuel phenomena, including fission gas release, fuel swelling, densification, thermal conductivity degradation, and cladding creep/hydriding.
• Code Application & Customization: Utilize and adapt state-of-the-art nuclear fuel performance codes (e.g., BISON, FRAPCON/FRAPTRAN, ENIGMA) alongside commercial solvers to predict fuel life-cycle behavior.
• V&V and Quality Assurance: Lead rigorous Verification and Validation (V&V) procedures for fuel performance models in strict compliance with ASME NQA-1 quality standards.
• Regulatory Technical Support: Compile, review, and authorize formal technical reports and licensing topical reports to defend fuel safety margins before nuclear regulatory authorities (e.g., US NRC).

Job Qualifications

• Education: Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a highly relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience: Minimum of 5–8+ years of experience in computational mechanics, with at least 3 years dedicated specifically to nuclear fuel performance modeling or core materials evaluation.
• Software & Code Expertise: Advanced proficiency with nuclear fuel burnup and performance codes (specifically BISON or FRAPCON), paired with commercial implicit solvers (Abaqus or ANSYS Mechanical).
• Core Competencies:
  • Deep understanding of high-temperature material science, radiation effects on materials (swelling, creep), and fracture mechanics.
  • Proven capability in scripting and code customization (Python, C++, or Fortran) to automate workflows and implement custom material subroutines.
  • Familiarity working within rigid nuclear quality assurance frameworks (NQA-1).

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Experience modeling advanced technology fuels, such as Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) concepts, doped UO2, silicide fuels, or liquid metal/molten salt reactor fuel elements.
• Active or prior U.S. DOE Q-Level or DoD Secret security clearance.
• Strong track record of publishing peer-reviewed research or presenting technical findings to nuclear regulatory bodies.

Job Details

• Job Type: Direct Hire
• Salary Range: $120-$125K
• Location: 100% Onsite Required
• Export control regulations require candidates to be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Legal Permanent Resident, or of a protected person status

About Protingent

Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.