Principal Core Thermal Hydraulics Engineer

Principal Core Thermal Hydraulics Engineer Bellevue, Washington, United States 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 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. TerraPower is seeking a highly motivated Principal Core Thermal Hydraulic Engineer to support the sodium‑cooled Natrium Reactor program. Reporting to the Manager of Core Thermal Hydraulic Methods & Analysis, you will be leading the development and validation of thermal‑hydraulic methodologies, software, and analyses, providing technical guidance to ensure successful project completion and interfacing cross‑disciplinary engineering teams in the company. As a principal engineer, you will address the technical challenges in refining reactor and core assembly designs and evaluation of their thermal‑hydraulic behaviors under various conditions in advanced nuclear reactor systems. Responsibilities Lead the technical effort to develop and validate thermal‑hydraulic methodologies, software, and analysis for sodium‑cooled fast reactor design Develop, qualify, and maintain the computer code to analyze the steady‑state nuclear reactor core thermal‑hydraulics Have ownership of the qualified software for the reactor core thermal‑hydraulic software Support the technical decision to address the critical challenges in reactor core design Support the project planning and define the work scopes for the critical path of the project Perform thermal‑hydraulic analysis and engineering calculation/assessment of nuclear reactor core components and structures in exploration of reactor architecture options including component selections, configurations, and sizing in support of the design of Natrium demonstration reactor system using in‑house thermal‑hydraulic software and/or hand calculations Work with cross‑disciplinary teams to analyze the thermal and mechanical design considerations for the safety of the reactor and its components Provide technical presentations on analyses performed to the broader team Prepare informal and formal reports to document findings and make reasoned recommendations, and report to core thermal hydraulic team manager/lead Support licensing activities related to the Natrium demonstration project by assisting in the preparation of licensing submittals Support design reviews as plant system and subsystem designs are established and refined Provide support and oversight during test execution, evaluation of test results, and reporting of test results Establish and maintain system requirements and design basis documents for reactor core design and core thermal hydraulics Key Qualifications and Skills B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Mechanical, Nuclear, or other relevant technical engineering area from an accredited university A minimum of 15 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a Ph.D. with 5 years of experience with demonstrated ability to perform the thermal‑hydraulic analysis of nuclear reactor core components for simulation‑based design 5+ years of technical leadership and/or project management experience Strong background in nuclear thermal‑hydraulics analysis, with demonstrated expertise in evaluating and performing engineering calculations related to heat and mass transfer in nuclear reactor cores, and hydraulic characterization of reactor core components, as proven through university research, publications, and/or work experience Proven problem‑solving skills and a willingness to apply those skills to a variety of engineering problems Ability to handle projects that include many competing objectives and design constraints, with ability to resolve conflicts between objectives Demonstrated expertise and experience with Python programming and software development, qualification, and verification & validation. Proficiency in C++ programming is highly preferred Experience working with high‑performance computing (HPC) environments preferred Experience in Software Quality Assurance (SQA) program and Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA‑1) standards highly preferred Strong knowledge and experience in liquid metal thermal‑hydraulics or experience with nuclear reactor analysis codes (subchannel analysis code or system thermal‑hydraulic codes) Must have strong verbal and written communication skills to meet NQA‑1 requirements, including the formal documentation of calculations Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork 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. 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% Job Details Salary Range: $168,316 - $252,475 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 Affinitiy 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 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr TerraPower LLC.