Senior Fuel Materials Scientist – Hybrid, Relocation

Nano Nuclear Energy, Inc.; Oak Ridge (TN); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Relocation assistance

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Job summary

NANO Nuclear Energy in Oak Ridge, TN, seeks a Fuel Materials Scientist to own the qualification strategy for TRISO fuel within a ceramic-matrix matrix, emphasizing CVI SiC thermomechanics. You will design campaigns, plan irradiation tests, and translate data into fuel specifications and qualification criteria.

The role requires 5+ years in nuclear fuel materials, X-ray and destructive/nondestructive techniques, and QA compliance.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Materials Science, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related technical field; Ph.D. preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in nuclear fuel, coated-particle, ceramic, or composite materials characterization and testing.
• Direct knowledge of TRISO kernel and coating-layer attributes, SiC or ceramic-matrix processing, defect mechanisms, microstructure, thermophysical properties, irradiation behavior, and high-temperature degradation.
• Experience developing, validating, and transferring destructive and nondestructive characterization methods.
• Knowledge of calibration, measurement uncertainty, detection limits, repeatability, reproducibility, and reference standards.
• Experience defining material lots, sampling plans, acceptance criteria, defect populations, and data reduction for heterogeneous or low-defect-rate fuel products.
• Experience with qualification work under ASME NQA-1, 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B, or equivalent nuclear QA controls.
• Strong understanding of specimen identity, chain of custody, data pedigree, nonconformance, and configuration management.
• Proven ability to translate process-structure-property relationships into controlled material and manufacturing specifications.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute experimental campaigns to characterize thermomechanical properties of CVI SiC under simulated extreme operating and accident conditions.
• Contribute to planning and execution of fuel irradiation campaigns.
• Evaluate results and translate into modifications to fuel specifications and qualification requirements.
• Oversee external fuel fabrication activities with strategic vendors.
• Develop and validate destructive and nondestructive fuel characterization methods.
• Establish material attributes, process parameters, characterization methods, sampling plans, and acceptance criteria for TRISO particles and ceramic-matrix fuel.
• Demonstrate that fuel lots are representative, reproducible, and suitable for irradiation and safety-test qualification credit.
• Support fabrication and process scale-up strategies as fuel development progresses toward larger-scale production.

Skills

Nuclear fuel characterization

TRISO kernel knowledge

Ceramic-matrix processing

Destructive & nondestructive testing

Data quality & sampling plans

Process-structure-property translation

QC/QA controls knowledge

Education

Ph.D. in Materials Science or Nuclear Engineering

M.S. in Materials Science or related

Tools

Statistical analysis software

Laboratory instrumentation & metrology

Job description

NANO Nuclear Energy in Oak Ridge, TN, seeks a Fuel Materials Scientist to own the qualification strategy for TRISO fuel within a ceramic-matrix matrix, emphasizing CVI SiC thermomechanics. You will design campaigns, plan irradiation tests, and translate data into fuel specifications and qualification criteria.

The role requires 5+ years in nuclear fuel materials, X-ray and destructive/nondestructive techniques, and QA compliance.