Major Projects - Nuclear Fuel Transition Lead Engineer

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Job Summary

Vistra is seeking a senior Lead Fuels Engineer to direct the implementation of a nuclear fuel transition across Vistra nuclear power plants in support of a major power uprate program.

This role provides technical leadership and program ownership for all fuel-related aspects of the uprate, including fuel design integration, licensing support, vendor management, and plant implementation. The position serves as the owner’s senior technical authority for fuel performance and fuel-related licensing deliverables, with direct responsibility for ensuring technical adequacy, regulatory compliance, and alignment with uprated operating conditions.

A key function of this role is owner acceptance of fuel-related engineering and licensing products, including establishing acceptance criteria, directing technical reviews, and approving or rejecting vendor deliverables for use in the plant licensing basis and NRC submittals.

Job Description

Key Accountabilities

• Lead the fleet-wide fuel transition strategy for three nuclear plants supporting the power uprate, ensuring fuel design supports reactor physics, thermal limits, safety margins, fuel performance, and uprated operating conditions.
• Facilitate Integrating fuel engineering across uprate workstreams, including safety analysis, reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, operations, plant modifications, licensing readiness, and startup readiness activities.
• Establish fuel-related technical positions, engineering requirements, and acceptance criteria, and provide senior leadership with recommendations on readiness, risk, constraints, and implementation decisions.
• Define, enforce, and document owner acceptance of vendor analyses, safety reports, methodologies, reload evaluations, and other fuel-related engineering and licensing deliverables.
• Ensure vendor products are technically sound, traceable, plant-specific, regulatory-ready, and suitable for NRC submittal, with owner comments resolved before acceptance.
• Serve as the primary technical interface for the nuclear fuel vendor, holding the vendor accountable for quality, completeness, schedule, regulatory readiness, and resolution of technical deficiencies.
• Support NRC interactions and licensing basis development related to fuel design, uprate safety analysis, reload evaluations, and implementation of uprate-related fuel changes.
• Develop and execute the integrated fuel transition plan across all three units, including initial reload support, early-cycle performance evaluation, and application of lessons learned across the fleet.

Education, Experience, & Skill Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• 8+ years of commercial nuclear experience, with strong background in nuclear fuel, reactor engineering, safety analysis, or licensing.
• Demonstrated experience with nuclear fuel design, reload engineering, or fuel performance.
• Experience reviewing and accepting technical or licensing deliverables on behalf of a utility or plant owner.
• Experience managing nuclear fuel vendors or major engineering suppliers.
• Strong understanding of reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, safety analysis, and NRC licensing basis requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with nuclear power uprates or fuel vendor transitions.
• NRC licensing experience including submittals, audits, and RAI responses.
• Familiarity with reload safety analysis, core design, and fuel performance evaluation.
• Experience working under NQA-1 quality programs.
• PE license or equivalent credential.

Leadership Profile

• This role requires a senior nuclear engineering leader with strong technical authority and decision-making capability. The successful candidate will be expected to operate independently, challenge vendor positions when necessary, and ensure that all fuel-related engineering and licensing products meet the highest standards of safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• The Lead Fuels Engineer must balance technical rigor, vendor accountability, and program execution discipline while ensuring successful integration of a new fuel design into uprated plant operations.

Key Metrics

• Safe and successful implementation of new fuel across three nuclear plants.
• Successful integration of fuel design into power uprate licensing and engineering basis.
• Timely owner acceptance of fuel-related engineering and licensing deliverables.
• Strong vendor performance and accountability.
• Achievement of required fuel performance and safety margins at uprated power.
• Successful regulatory approval and implementation of uprate-related fuel changes.
• Consistent execution across all three units with effective lessons learned integration.

Job Family

Plant Operations

Company

Vistra Nuclear Operations Company

Locations

Perry, Ohio

Ohio

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If you currently work for Vistra or its subsidiaries, please apply via the internal career site.

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