Senior Manager, Core Materials

TerraPower LLC.; Bellevue (WA); On-site; USD 184,000 - 246,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Relocation assistance

Professional and educational support

401k plan

Generous PTO

Generous holiday schedule

Medical and wellness benefits

Relocation assistance

Diversity and inclusion

Job summary

TerraPower LLC. is seeking a Senior Manager for Core Materials to lead a team focused on the development, qualification, and testing of core materials for Natrium reactor projects.

You will align technical direction with programmatic goals and manage cross-disciplinary collaboration with executives and partners. The role demands deep experience in nuclear materials and quality programs, plus strong leadership and staffing oversight.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an engineering discipline (materials science/engineering preferred).
• Minimum of 12 years related experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of supervisory/people leadership experience.
• Experience with nuclear materials (fuel cladding/core structural materials) in high-temp and sodium environments.
• Understanding of materials characterization and processing technology.
• Experience with nuclear/industrial quality programs, design control, configuration management (ASME NQA-1, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B desirable).
• Experience managing scientific staff and complex R&D programs.
• Proven ability to manage complex technical programs with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong planning, budgeting, and execution of testing or modeling activities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; commitment to safety and quality.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Core Materials team with clear direction and priorities.
• Define strategic/technical direction aligned with Natrium objectives.
• Oversee Core Materials work scope, ensuring planning, execution, and integration.
• Manage schedule and budget in collaboration with Project Management.
• Coordinate with executives and external partners and regulators to advance core materials.
• Maintain operational direction for high-quality execution toward Natrium goals.
• Implement strategic plans and translate objectives into actionable work.
• Develop Core Materials leadership and staffing, including hires and promotions.

Skills

Leadership

Nuclear materials knowledge

Materials science/engineering

Quality systems knowledge

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s or higher in materials science/engineering

Job description

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications – all for significant human health benefits.

TerraPower is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced nuclear reactor research and development and influencing change within the nuclear power landscape and bringing forward the critical production of medical isotopes. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Senior Manager, Core Materials

The Natrium Core Materials Senior Manager reports directly to the Director, Fuel Engineering and Technology. This leadership position is focused on overseeing and leading the Core Materials team in achieving its programmatic objectives. In this role, you will build and manage a dedicated team of managers and engineers focused on the development, qualification, and testing of core materials in support of Terrapower’s advanced nuclear reactor projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Core Materials team by providing clear direction, priorities, and expectations
• Define the strategic and technical direction for the Core Materials team in alignment with Natrium programmatic objectives
• Provide overall management and oversight of all Core Materials work scope, ensuring effective planning, execution, and integration with adjacent disciplines
• Establish and maintain the Core Materials schedule and budget ensuring adherence in collaboration with the Project Management team
• Coordinate with executives, directors, senior managers, and other stakeholders, including external partners and regulatory bodies, to advance core materials and fuel technologies
• Establish and maintain operational direction that enables high‑quality execution of work required to achieve Natrium’s strategic goals
• Implement and execute strategic plans for the Core Materials organization, translating high‑level objectives into actionable work
• Build and develop the Core Materials management team to ensure robust leadership, effective delegation, sustainable performance and strong execution
• Responsible for Core Materials team staffing, including identifying staffing needs, leading recruiting and hiring efforts, and recommending promotions and other staffing actions
• Demonstrate visible continuous leadership in safety and quality, ensuring compliance with applicable requirements and promoting a strong safety and quality culture
• Focus on maintaining an inclusive and welcoming work environment which fosters innovation
• Support employee professional development and career growth through coaching, feedback, and development planning
• Define engineer training and qualification needs and ensure qualified personnel perform assigned activities

Key Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant engineering discipline from an accredited university with a minimum of 12 years related experience is required – degree in materials science/engineering is preferred
• Minimum of 3 years of previous supervisory or people leadership experience is required
• Experience working with nuclear materials (including fuel cladding and core structural materials) in high-temperature and sodium environments is required
• Understanding of materials characterization and materials processing technology is required
• Advanced knowledge and experience in nuclear or similar industrial quality programs, design control, and configuration management principles, practices, and tools is required
• Experience working in stringent quality systems (e.g., ISO-9001, AS9100) is required, specifically experience working to ASME NQA-1, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B is highly desired
• Experience and success managing scientific staff, and executing research and development projects in a corporate setting
• Proven ability to manage complex technical programs with multiple stakeholders is required
• Established track record in planning, budgeting, and execution of testing or modeling activities is required
• A high degree of trust and integrity, able to communicate openly, dedication to organizational success and a desire to foster teamwork are required
• Demonstrated commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement is required
• This position requires excellent verbal and written communication skills

This position is subject to qualification requirements in accordance with ANSI/ANS 3.1. Candidates must meet the minimum education and experience criteria applicable to the role, including relevant nuclear industry experience where required. Verification of data will be part of the hiring process.

Job Functions:

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation. Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations. An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

• Motor Abilities: Sitting for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds.
• Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work
• Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hours/day
• Travel required 0-10%

TerraPower’s technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government. TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements. To facilitate TerraPower’s export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States. Government export authorization approval times vary. Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Job details

Salary Range: $184,367 - $245,823

Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. This range is specific to Washington State.

Job Type: Full-time

• Competitive Compensation
• Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments
• Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits
  • Medical
  • Vision
  • Dental
  • Life and Disability
  • Gender Affermation Benefits
• 401k Plan
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • 21 days of annually accrued PTO
• Generous Holiday Schedule
  • 10 paid holidays
• Relocation Assistance
• Professional and Educational Support Opportunities

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in TerraPower LLC.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

The application deadline for this role is October 8, 2026