Nuclear I&C Development Operations Engineer

Paragon is seeking a Development Operations Engineer to support the development, verification, configuration management, cybersecurity controls, and lifecycle maintenance of FPGA-based products used in nuclear safety-related applications. This role includes responsibilities for maintaining a Secure Development and Operational Environment (SDOE) in accordance with nuclear cybersecurity requirements such as NRC Regulatory Guide 5.71, NEI 08-09, and plant-specific defensive architecture policies. The engineer develops internal tools, evaluates external tools, improves workflows, manages defect resolution, and maintains audit-ready documentation aligned with standards including 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, IEC 61508, IEEE 7-4.3.2, and ASME NQA-1.

Responsibilities:

Internal Tool Development

• Develop and maintain internal tools, scripts, dashboards, and automations supporting FPGA design and nuclear safety documentation.
• Automate tasks related to requirements traceability, verification workflows, build/test orchestration, data packaging, and simulation report generation.
• Support internal frameworks built around Subversion (SVN), Git, and CI/CD tooling.
• Ensure tools comply with nuclear-quality obligations such as auditability, reproducibility, configuration control, and verification independence.

External Tool Assessment & Integration

• Evaluate engineering tools including Simulink, Intel Quartus, Xilinx Vivado, ModelSim/QuestaSim, and workflow automation platforms.
• Perform cyber-impact assessments for introducing or modifying tools within the SDOE.
• Lead supplier qualification, cybersecurity posture evaluation, and tool reliability reviews.
• Integrate approved tools into controlled design networks with appropriate SDOE documentation.

Bug Reporting & Issue Management

• Establish systematic processes for logging, triaging, reproducing, verifying, and tracking defects affecting FPGA tools or workflows.
• Collaborate with hardware/FPGA engineers, verification engineers, cybersecurity teams, and QA.
• Maintain traceable audit records consistent with nuclear QA and SDOE monitoring requirements.
• Identify recurring issues and propose long-term corrective actions or automation-based mitigations.

Workflow Process Optimization

• Improve engineering workflows including model-based design, HDL design, simulation, synthesis, timing analysis, regression testing, and configuration reviews.
• Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines adapted to nuclear-qualified toolchains and restricted SDOE networks.
• Ensure workflow alignment with SDOE requirements including role-based access control, logging, network separation, and artifact integrity.
• Support periodic SDOE reviews including cybersecurity assessments, environment hardening, and toolchain validation.

SDOE Infrastructure Maintenance

• Manage the Secure Development and Operational Environment (SDOE) used for nuclear safety FPGA development.
• Maintain controlled networks, secure repositories, isolated build servers, and toolchain validation environments.
• Coordinate with IT teams to maintain system patches, whitelisting, and defensive architecture controls.
• Ensure all development and operational workflows conform to SDOE technical and procedural requirements.

Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Create and maintain documentation for tooling, FPGA workflows, SDOE procedures, cybersecurity controls, and configuration-controlled processes.
• Produce training materials and onboarding guides supporting safe engineering practices in the SDOE.
• Ensure documentation remains compliant with NQA-1, nuclear cybersecurity plans, and licensing expectations.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• Experience with FPGA design workflows including VHDL/Verilog.
• Hands-on experience with Intel Quartus, Xilinx Vivado, ModelSim/QuestaSim, and Simulink.
• Experience with configuration management systems such as Subversion (SVN) and Git.
• Experience working within SDOE, CIP, or other regulated cybersecurity environments.
• Strong scripting abilities (Python, Bash, PowerShell, Matlab).
• Understanding of nuclear-industry QA processes and configuration control expectations.
• Ability to interpret timing reports, simulation logs, block diagrams, and verification artifacts.
• Excellent written communication and documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of NRC RG 5.71, NEI 08-09, and cybersecurity programs for digital I&C.
• Experience maintaining isolated or air-gapped engineering networks.
• Experience with toolchain qualification, trusted distribution, and cybersecurity configuration management.
• Familiarity with nuclear regulatory frameworks such as 10 CFR 73.54 and IEEE 7-4.3.2.

Core Competencies

• Quality & compliance mindset.
• Strong cybersecurity awareness and adherence to SDOE principles.
• Technical ownership of toolchains and workflows.
• Collaboration with FPGA engineering, verification, cybersecurity, and quality teams.
• Process orientation with strong configuration control discipline.
• Attention to detail and audit-ready documentation.
• Continuous improvement mindset.

Why Paragon?

At Paragon, our mission is to lower the carbon footprint through innovative nuclear programs that are safe, sustainable, and economical. We support critical energy and national security applications through excellence in engineering, responsiveness, and integrity. Our team operates with a shared set of values, we stay persistent in solving challenges, collaborate with purpose, and approach every project with technical passion and professionalism.

Ready to become a Paragonian?

If you are looking for a technically challenging role with purpose, professional growth, and the opportunity to support national security and energy reliability, we would love to hear from you.

Paragon is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.