Space Nuclear Systems Engineer

Job Description:

Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. (AMA) is seeking a Space Nuclear Systems Engineer for our Denver, CO or Huntsville, AL location.

AMA is accepting applications for an experienced engineer to perform cutting edge analyses within AMA’s Advanced Programs and Capabilities (ACP) group at the Huntsville, AL or Denver, CO locations. The desired candidate will possess a graduate degree in Nuclear Engineering and will have professional research experience related to advanced terrestrial and/or space reactor design and development. Primary work responsibilities will focus on supporting multidisciplinary engineering analyses of novel space nuclear designs for fission surface power (FSP), nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP), and nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) systems in support of NASA’s Advanced Nuclear Technologies Office (ANTO) under the Space Reactors Division (SRD). In addition to completing the application on our website (www.ama-inc.com/careers) candidates selected for an interview will be required to provide two or more references. The compensation for this position is expected to be between $90k – 140k and is commensurate with experience and education.

Responsibilities:

• Assist ongoing AMA analyses by performing neutronic, thermal hydraulic, fuel performance, engine cycle, or mechanical analyses of candidate nuclear propulsion system concepts:

• • Evaluate the parametric design space through assessment of system-level performance and any technical or programmatic risks

• • Independently develop and implement models to perform sensitivities related to candidate engine concept designs.

• • Perform steady state and transient analyses to inform overall system performance and possible test objectives for an NTP or NEP demonstration.

• • Communicate technical data to a multidisciplinary team of engineers and project managers via presentations and technical report writing.

• Support the ongoing assessment of the radiation environment and dose mitigation strategies for ground testing as well as in-space operation.

• Support relevant analyses and trades to determine required technology maturation of reactor components and facilities development for space reactor systems.

• Perform literature review and documentation to assist in ongoing space reactor system development and programmatic planning efforts.

• Publish reports, papers, and articles on findings.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or another related field.  An advanced degree is desired but not required.
• A minimum of 2 years of research or related work experience in nuclear systems, engine cycle power balancing, space mission analysis, or modeling and simulation.
• Experience in computational finite element, fuel performance, reactor physics, radiation physics, thermal hydraulic, and/or numeric analyses of novel fuel and reactor designs. Familiarity with common reactor design and fuel performance metrics.
• Strong skills in MATLAB, Python, and/or C++.
• Technical writing experience and the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to a diverse multi-disciplinary team / audience. Ability to independently communicate with and interface with government customers or stakeholders.
• U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Residency.

Desired Qualifications:

Not all desired qualifications are necessary or expected from applicants. Tasks will be assigned based on team needs and the applicant’s interest, niche skills, and strengths.

• A graduate-level degree in Nuclear Engineering with academic research and/or 5 years of relevant professional work experience.

• Previous exposure to or direct research related to advanced nuclear reactor systems for both in-space applications (e.g., FSP, NTP, NEP, etc.) and terrestrial power generation.

• Experience working with NASA, DOE, DOW, or other related government agencies.

• Experience performing reactor and radiation physics calculations in MCNP, Serpent, OpenMC, Geant4, SCALE, DAGMC, or equivalent.

• Experience with the MOOSE framework and its custom applications, such as Cardinal, Bison, Griffin, etc.

• Experience with finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics for compressible flow using developed software, such as OpenFOAM, ANSYS, COMSOL, NekRS, etc.

• Experience independently designing and implementing research projects in a nuclear or aerospace related field / industry.

• Experience with the development and implementation of experimental tests related to advancing nuclear and/or aerospace technologies.

• Experience with object-oriented programming, Git version control, and software architecture management.

• Self-motivated with good communication skills and desire to work in a highly motivated team environment.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to set up processes and organize project tasks.