Lead Nuclear Project Planner 1 - Nuclear

Description

Sargent & Lundy stands as a leader in energy solutions, devoted to assisting our clients to deliver dependable and sustainable power to communities nationwide. With an extensive client base covering fossil fuel, nuclear, and renewable energy sectors, we uphold a standard of excellence in power generation. We are currently seeking an experienced Nuclear Project Planner to join our vibrant team to help support our clients’ projects. 

This role will offer a hybrid work arrangement from our future Knoxville office. The expectation will be to spend three days a week in the office, giving you the flexibility to work remotely for two days.

Responsibilities:

• Plan and prepare comprehensive work instructions that guide various workgroups in executing corrective and preventive maintenance, surveillance performance, and modification implementation.
• Evaluate and approve material procurement recommendations necessary for the execution of work packages.
• Define procedures, drawings, equipment, and materials for planned work packages.
• Coordinate out-of-service notifications, plant barrier impairments, permits for welding/grinding, fire impairments, operability impact statements, regulatory/code documentation, hold/witness points, temporary leak repair documentation, and other essential requests to facilitate package preparation.
• Verify the adequacy and compliance of work instructions with all applicable station procedures.
• Review and approve all required work packages to meet the highest safety, quality, and technical standards.
• Develop, revise, and review maintenance procedures to streamline and enhance work package development while ensuring compliance with codes, standards, vendor recommendations, and maintenance directives.
• Collaborate with project teams to gather relevant data and from efficient and safe work plans.
• Implement project controls processes and tools to ensure effective project management.
• Monitor and analyze project progress, identifying potential risks and proposing mitigation strategies.
• Work closely with project managers, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders to optimize project timelines and resource allocation.
• Conduct field walk-downs to identify and analyze corrective and preventive maintenance, modification, and surveillance activities. Collaborate with work management, supply, operations, and engineering to address work package issues and provide input to enhance work package quality.

Qualifications

We do not sponsor employees for work authorization in the U.S. for this position.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 10 years of prior experience in project planning.
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Construction Management, or equivalent technical /trade experience.
• Nuclear construction experience is preferred.
• Strong background in project execution, with a proven track record of successful project delivery.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Detail-oriented and organized, with a strategic mindset to identify and address potential scheduling challenges.
• Conversant in Computer applications and planning software.
• Previous unescorted security access to a Nuclear Plant a plus.

Preferred Experience

License Renewal (LR), Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) and aging management

• Prior involvement in license renewal, subsequent license renewal, or nuclear aging management programs (AMP), including development or implementation of AMPs, one-time inspections, or selective leaching programs.
• Experience with NRC, INPO, or DOE regulations, and participation in NRC audits or inspections (e.g., Inspection Procedure 71003 or similar).
• Familiarity with key nuclear industry LR/SLR documents such as NUREG‑1800, NUREG‑1801, NEI 95‑10, NUREG‑2191, NUREG‑2192, NUREG‑2221, NEI 17‑01, and/or NUREG‑1555.
• Participation and/or familiarity with the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) License Renewal Task Force or similar industry working groups.

Background experience

• Strong practical understanding of mechanical systems and components (pumps, valves, strainers, tanks, heat exchangers, piping) and how work is actually performed on them in the field.
• Ability to connect materials and environments to aging mechanisms (e.g., loss of material, pitting, erosion, selective leaching, coating degradation) and to define what inspections need to observe and document.
• Background in one or more of the following: mechanical maintenance/engineering, system engineering, NDE/inspection, chemistry/corrosion engineering, or field construction/trades (e.g., piping, welding, valve maintenance) that provides credibility with craft and insight into how design, procedures, and work orders translate into physical work.
• Several years in a nuclear work management / outage or online planning, system engineering, or maintenance engineering role, preferably with exposure to LR/SLR implementation or aging management programs.
• Prior hands-on or close-support experience with plant modification or maintenance on mechanical systems (e.g., as a maintenance engineer, system engineer, field engineer, NDE/inspection engineer, or craft/trades lead) in a nuclear or similarly regulated environment.
• Experience working in cross-functional project teams (engineering, programs, planning, field, and external consultants) to deliver complex, multi-outage implementation scopes.

AI & Automation at Sargent & Lundy

In this role, we expect people to be willing or able to lead others who use modern tools:

• You are expected to lead others in taking engineering problems from issue to solution by setting expectations for using data and modern tools such as automation and AI to improve workflows, reduce rework, and deliver cost-effective designs.
• Leaders in these roles often direct automation and process-improvement work, for example, how teams automate calculations, summarize technical documents, or generate design documentation and guiding when and how AI or agentic AI tools are used while ensuring results are checked.
• Overseeing engineers who program or script (e.g., Python, MATLAB, advanced Excel) to automate engineering tasks, with review of automated outputs, is valued but not required.
• We also value additional learning, such as a minor, certificate, or other experience in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, or related fields that enables effective oversight of automation and agentic AI-enabled engineering workflows.

Award-Winning Benefits

At Sargent & Lundy, we care about the health and well-being of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare plans and generous paid time off to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. We understand the importance of work-life balance, which is why we are proud to provide competitive, award-winning benefits. Our dedication to employee satisfaction has earned us the prestigious Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award for compensation and benefits in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Compensation Range

$118,023 - $180,313

Transparency Statement

Sargent & Lundy discloses compensation ranges that comply with all local and state regulations. The total compensation package for eligible positions will include a base salary or an hourly rate and a comprehensive benefits package, reflecting our commitment to rewarding performance and supporting the overall well-being of our employees. Individuals may also be eligible to participate in our yearly discretionary bonus.

About This Business Unit

Join Sargent & Lundy's Nuclear Power Group and be part of a team driving the future of clean, carbon-free energy. Since 1954, we’ve been a trusted leader in nuclear engineering, design, and licensing, with expertise spanning small modular reactors (SMRs), advanced reactor technology (ART), and first-of-a-kind commercial reactor restart projects. Our work supports life extensions and digital modernization of existing nuclear plants, coal-to-nuclear conversion initiatives with the Department of State, and international nuclear new-build projects. With a commitment to safety, innovation, and sustainability, we provide cutting-edge solutions that power communities worldwide while reducing emissions. Shape the future of global energy with us!

Equal Opportunity

Sargent & Lundy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any protected status as defined by applicable law.