Senior Thermal Mechanical Engineer
Job Summary
The Senior Engineer for Thermal Mechanical Analysis performs critical thermal-mechanical design and finite element analyses for nuclear fuel rods. This role ensures fuel bundle integrity, maintains operational limits, and drives improvements in modeling methodologies. The position involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams to meet stringent regulatory and quality standards.
Responsibilities
- Perform finite element mechanical and heat transfer analysis
- Establish thermal mechanical operating limits
- Develop and maintain fuel performance modeling code
- Ensure compliance with NRC regulations and quality standards
- Collaborate with multi-disciplinary engineering teams
Required Skills
- Thermal-mechanical or nuclear fuel analysis (4+ years)
- Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
- Python and FORTRAN programming
- NRC regulatory knowledge
- Engineering 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 to ensure product performance.
- 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 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 and provide support to the team technical leader and functional manager in planning and executing projects.
- Perform work in accordance with NRC regulations, customer requirements, and business quality assurance standards.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum 8 years of experience in a technology or engineering role.
- Minimum 4 years of experience in thermal-mechanical or nuclear fuel analysis.
- Ability to obtain authorization for access to U.S. export-controlled information.
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 ability and complex engineering analyses.
- Experience with Python and FORTRAN.
- Strong communication skills and ability to articulate specific technical topics.