Major Projects - Nuclear Fuel Transition Lead Engineer

**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. #J-18808-Ljbffr Jobleads-US