Senior Thermal Mechanical Engineer
Job Summary
The fuel performance analysis engineer will perform fuel rod thermal-mechanical design analyses to ensure mechanical integrity throughout the design lifetime. This role involves developing fuel bundle technologies for nuclear reactors through collaboration with mechanical design experts and material scientists. The position requires ensuring product performance aligns with licensed and GNF performance expectations.
Responsibilities
- Perform fuel rod thermal-mechanical and finite element analysis
- Establish thermal-mechanical operating limits for fuel products
- Maintain and develop fuel performance modeling codes
- Collaborate with technical teams and present findings to regulators
- Ensure compliance with NRC regulations and quality standards
Required Skills
- Thermal-mechanical or nuclear fuel analysis
- Finite element analysis
- Python and FORTRAN programming
- NRC submittal experience
- Engineering technical documentation
Job Details
Essential Responsibilities:
- Perform coupled heat transfer and finite element mechanical analyses for fuel rod pellet and cladding.
- Collaborate with fuel mechanical design experts, material scientists, and nuclear/thermal-hydraulic analysis engineers.
- Establish thermal mechanical operating limits for new and existing fuel product lines.
- Assist in the evaluation of fuel behavior for generic and plant-specific transient analyses.
- Support fuel operations and address customer issues related to fuel pellets and cladding.
- Interpret operational and test data to drive improvements in modeling and methodologies.
- Maintain and develop the fuel performance code.
- Provide well-written, well-organized documented engineering analyses to assure design adequacy.
- Maintain and develop technical design procedures associated with fuel rod design/analysis activities.
- Provide support in addressing nuclear industry needs and trends.
- Present to internal/external customers and nuclear regulators on fuel performance.
- Assist the team technical leader and functional manager in planning and executing projects.
- Perform work in accordance with NRC regulations, customer requirements, and quality assurance standards.
- Communicate and collaborate effectively with team members on technical issues.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline.
- Minimum 8 years of experience in a technology or engineering role.
- Minimum 4 years of experience in thermal-mechanical or nuclear fuel analysis.
- Access to U.S. export-controlled information is required.
Desired Qualifications:
- Master's Degree or greater in an engineering discipline.
- Prior nuclear industry knowledge/experience.
- Experience with writing submittals to the NRC.
- Proven track record of problem-solving and complex engineering analysis documentation.
- Experience with Python and FORTRAN.
- Strong communication skills and ability to articulate technical topics.