Senior Instrumentation & Controls Engineer

newcleo; Aiken (SC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with 4% match

Generous PTO 20–25 days/year

International, collaborative culture

Job summary

newcleo is seeking a Senior Engineer to lead design, implementation, and commissioning of MOX Plant instrumentation and control systems. You will ensure successful engineering execution, oversee architecture decisions, and drive safety‑critical I&C programs across multiple systems.

Ideal candidates hold 15+ years in instrumentation and controls, with ISA 84 / IEC 61511 experience and Siemens/SCADA proficiency, and will collaborate with Safety, Licensing, and Project Management teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in instrumentation and controls engineering, preferably within the nuclear fuel industry.
• Experience applying ISA 84 / IEC 61511 functional safety.

Responsibilities

• Define control systems architecture and SCADA design across multiple systems (mechanical, fluid, HVAC).
• Supervise PLC/SCADA programming and industrial control software development.
• Ensure compliance with government regulations, organization, industry and engineering standards.
• Collaborate with System Engineering, Safety, Licensing, and Project Management teams to ensure integrated system development.
• Estimate efforts and resources with Head of Unit and assist in project engineering planning.

Skills

RI/O/PLC/SCADA

HMI systems

Industrial controls

Electrical engineering

Education

Bachelor/Master in Electrical Engineering

15+ years instrumentation and controls experience

ISA 84 / IEC 61511 familiarity

Tools

SIEMENS equipment

HMI programming software

IEEE/IEC/ANSI/ISA/IAEA standards

Job description

newcleo is an innovative nuclear energy company developing AMRs cooled by liquid lead, and nuclear fuel from recycled nuclear waste, with the goal of delivering abundant, competitive, low‑carbon energy.

The Company was founded by physicist‑entrepreneur Stefano Buono following the USD 3.9 billion sale of his previous venture – Nasdaq‑listed nuclear medicine company Advanced Accelerator Applications – to Novartis.

With over $80 million in revenue, other income, and financial income in 2024 including from its operating companies, approximately $780 million in private funding, and more than 900 highly skilled employees across Europe and the United States, the Company has built a network of over 100 industry partnerships and supports its growth through the targeted acquisition and vertical integration of key companies in the nuclear supply chain.

On May 27, 2026, newcleo announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination with NewHold Investment Corp. III (NASDAQ: NHIC) in a transaction that, upon closing, would result in newcleo becoming a U.S.-listed public company. The combined company is expected to be listed on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol “NWCL” following an anticipated transaction close in the second half of 2026, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

For more information visit www.newcleo.com/investors.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Engineer to serve as technical leader responsible for the specification, design, implementation, and commissioning of MOX Plant instrumentation and control systems, ensuring successful execution of engineering tasks and project objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform a range of engineering activities, including design definition, control systems architecture and development, detailed functional analysis and SCADA design, design patterns RIO/PLC/SCADA implementation across multiple systems (mechanical, fluid and HVAC).
• Define and implement instrumentation and control system architecture solutions for safety plant applications.
• Supervise PLC/SCADA system programming/configuration (ladder logic, function block diagrams) and industrial control software development.
• Ensures compliance with government regulations, organization, industry and engineering standards.
• Work closely with System Engineering, Safety, Licensing, and Project Management teams to ensure integrated system development.
• Participate in design reviews, design change processes (technical and cost assessments) and cross‑functional working groups to provide systems engineering perspectives.
• Execute work in accordance with the approved project cost, schedule baselines and quality plan.
• Provide technical support to other engineering discipline associated with equipment and material procurement and subcontracting including scopes of work, technical bid evaluations, and review of vendor submittals.
• Execute work in accordance with the approved project cost, schedule baselines and quality plan.
• Assist the Head of Unit in preparing project engineering phase by estimating efforts and resource requirements.

Education & Professional Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in instrumentation and controls engineering, preferably within the nuclear fuel industry.
• Experience applying ISA 84 / IEC 61511 functional safety.

Technical Skills

• Strong experience in RI/O, PLC, HMI, SCADA systems, VFD, control panels, and automated equipment.
• Knowledge of Communication Protocols (Ethernet, Modbus, OPC/DA, OPC/UA, Profibus/net, …)
• Experience with SIEMENS equipment and relevant HMI and programming software.
• Proficient in applying industry codes and standards (IEEE, IEC, ANSI, ISA, IAEA).
• Ability to incorporate Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations and guidelines into system design requirements.
• Familiar with Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA) concepts.
• Familiarity with virtualized software environments and Manufacturing Execution System.
• Understanding of configuration and requirements management, system engineering, and V&V cycle.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, as well as a 401(k) plan with 4% company match.
• Generous paid time off, starting at 20 days per year and increasing to 25 days after 3 years of service.
• A mission‑driven environment focused on delivering scalable, low‑carbon energy solutions to meet growing global energy demand.
• A collaborative and international culture that values technical excellence, transparency, innovation, and cross‑functional teamwork.