Fuel Fabrication Senior Manager TerraPower is seeking a Fuel Fabrication Senior Manager to join the Natrium Fuel Manufacturing team. Reporting to the Director of Fuel Manufacturing, this position will lead the development and delivery of fuel fabrication capabilities required to support the Natrium initial fuel load and subsequent production.
The Fuel Fabrication Senior Manager will be accountable for the technical integration of HALEU feedstock metallization, fuel-component manufacturing, fuel assembly fabrication, process qualification, and production scale-up. The role will provide technical leadership for facility design, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness while partnering with project delivery, Quality, Licensing, Supply Chain, Operations, and external fabrication partners.
This position requires an experienced nuclear manufacturing leader capable of managing multidisciplinary teams, directing complex technical work, and integrating facility, process, product, supplier, regulatory, and schedule requirements.
Responsibilities:- Lead the development and execution of the integrated strategy for HALEU metallization, fuel-component manufacturing, and final fuel assembly fabrication.
- Provide Fuel Manufacturing technical leadership for the design, construction, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness of metallization and fuel fabrication facilities.
- Serve as the engineering owner for fuel products and manufacturing processes from metal feedstock through completed fuel assemblies, including technical oversight of requirements, specifications, drawings, process changes, and technical acceptance.
- Lead the development, demonstration, scale-up, and qualification of manufacturing processes required to achieve production-rate, quality, safety, and reliability objectives.
- Collaborate with Quality to ensure fabrication activities, suppliers, records, and deliverables comply with applicable quality-assurance and fuel acceptance requirements.
- Interface with reactor design, neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, materials, and safety-analysis teams to ensure fuel material properties, manufacturing tolerances, and process variability are appropriately represented in design and safety analyses.
- Collaborate with testing and operations teams to use laboratory and pilot-scale activities to advance manufacturing maturity.
- Provide technical direction and oversight to fuel fabrication partners, vendors, and contractors, including supplier qualification, source surveillance, technical issue resolution, nonconformance disposition, and corrective action.
- Maintain visibility into manufacturing and supplier performance using appropriate schedule, quality, readiness, and production metrics.
- Identify and proactively mitigate technical, schedule, quality, capacity, and supply-chain risks. Develop and execute recovery plans when performance deviates from program objectives.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team, with accountability for performance management, goal setting, technical capability, and career development.
- Develop and execute staffing, organizational-development, and succession plans that support program scale-up and long-term operational continuity.
- Promote a strong nuclear safety culture, disciplined decision-making, continuous learning, and application of nuclear-industry and advanced-manufacturing best practices.
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve safety, quality, manufacturability, process capability, schedule performance, and cost.
Key Qualifications and Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering, materials science and engineering, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or a closely related technical field.
- At least 10 years of relevant experience in nuclear fuel, nuclear materials, or nuclear manufacturing. A relevant master's degree may be credited for up to two years of experience, and a doctorate may be credited for up to four years.
- Demonstrated management experience in the nuclear industry.
- Experience leading and developing teams of engineers or other technical professionals.
- Experience in nuclear fuel qualification, manufacturing-process development, or production.
- Experience developing or scaling manufacturing processes from laboratory or pilot scale to qualified production.
- Experience managing or technically directing vendors and contractors performing nuclear-grade component fabrication.
- Experience with supplier qualification, source surveillance or inspection, nonconformance disposition, corrective action, and technical acceptance.
- Working knowledge of engineering drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, material specifications, and controlled procurement documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to integrate complex technical work across engineering, Quality, Licensing, Operations, Supply Chain, and project-delivery organizations.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical and programmatic issues to senior leadership, regulators, partners, and technical teams.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, prioritization, and decision-making skills.
- Ability to operate independently, manage multiple priorities, and lead resolution of complex problems under schedule constraints.
- The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.
Preferred
- Advanced degree in management, nuclear engineering, materials science, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or a related field.
- Technical expertise in fast-reactor metallic fuel.
- Experience with HALEU conversion or metallization processes.
- Experience delivering nuclear manufacturing facilities through design, construction, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness.
- Familiarity with applicable ASTM, ASME, ANSI, and nuclear quality-assurance requirements.
- Experience with nuclear material control and accountability, criticality safety, radiological controls, and safeguards requirements.
- Experience managing integrated cost, schedule, risk, and staffing plans for a major technical program.
This position is subject to qualification requirements in accordance with ANSI/ANS 3.1. Candidates must meet the minimum education and experience criteria applicable to the role, including relevant nuclear industry experience where required. Verification of data will be part of the hiring process.
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. Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations. An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.
- 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.
- Repetitive work: Prolonged
- 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 detailsSalary Range: $184,367 - $245,823Any 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 Bellevue/Seattle/Everett, WA.
Job Type: Full-timeBenefits:- Competitive Compensation
- Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments
- Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits
- Medical
- Vision
- Dental
- Life and Disability
- Gender Affirmation Benefits
- Parental Leave
- 401k Plan
- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
- 21 days of annually accrued PTO
- Generous Holiday Schedule
- Relocation Assistance
- Professional and Educational Support Opportunities
TerraPower Career and Benefits information: https://www.terrapower.com/contact-us/careers/
