TITLE:                 Senior Thermal Hydraulic Test Engineer

LOCATION:        Everett, WA, USA 

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications – all for significant human health benefits.

TerraPower is seeking to contract highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced nuclear reactor research and development and influencing change within the nuclear power landscape and bringing forward the critical production of medical isotopes.  TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, as a federal contractor, TerraPower has instituted an Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) in an effort to proactively recruit, hire, and promote women, minorities, disabled persons and veterans.

Senior Thermal Hydraulic Test Engineer

Reporting to the Manager of Core Mechanical Testing, the Senior Thermal Hydraulic Test Engineer is responsible for designing and conducting thermal hydraulic tests to support analytic analysis of for the Natrium Demonstration Plant.  The successful candidate will support all aspects of thermal hydraulic testing activities including planning, testing, document review, engaging with external vendors, and generating documents.

Responsibilities

•  Develop and apply thermal-hydraulic analysis methods, including steady state and transient one-dimensional network hydraulic analyses.

•  Perform calculations using first principles of heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics to support and validate analysis results.

•  Perform analysis of reactor normal operations, upset events, emergency events and faulted events as defined in the ASME BPVC Section III to establish design, service, and test loadings and limits.

•  Perform multiscale and multidisciplinary neutronics and control analyses involving the thermal hydraulics of sodium, molten salt, and non-condensable fluids.

•  Integrate with other engineering groups performing aspects of component, system, fuel, and control system design and related thermal-hydraulic testing.

•  Perform code benchmarking and validation analyses to support code qualification and methodology development.

Key Qualifications and Skills

•  Master’s degree in applicable field of Engineering

•  Greater than three (3) years of relevant experience in a testing / research and development environment preferred.

•  Experience working in a laboratory environment

•  Strong thermal-hydraulic analytical skills with one dimensional hydraulic network analysis, system codes experience and transient analysis.

•  Experience with post-processing and documenting experiments.

•  Experience with multiple types of testing (R&D, Acceptance, Validation, Qualification)

•  Ability to work with a multidisciplinary team of engineers

•  Ability to handle projects that include multiple objectives and ability to resolve conflicts between objectives.

•  Ability to work on multiple tasks concurrently during a given work week.

•  Excellent writing and communication skills.

•  Safety conscience.

•  Ability to work with minimum direction to solve challenging research and development problems.

•  The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trustworthiness and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork

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 and/or standing 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 hrs./day

•  Travel required: 0-5%

TerraPower’s technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government.  TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements.  To facilitate TerraPower’s export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States.  Government export authorization approval times vary.  Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.  

Job Details

Salary Range Level 10:  $113,605 - $170,408

*Typically, our employee salaries are within .90 – 1.0 of the mid-point of the posted salary band. Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected individual’s qualifications and experience.  This range is specific to Washington State.

Job Type:  Full-time

Benefits:

•  Competitive Compensation

•  Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments

•  Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits

•  Medical

•  Vision

•  Dental

•  Life

•  Life and Disability

•  Gender Affirmation Benefits

•  Parental Leave

•  401k Plan

•  Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)

•  21 days of annually accrued PTO

•  Generous Holiday Schedule

•  10 paid holidays

•  Relocation Assistance

•  Professional and Educational Support Opportunities

•  Flexible Work Schedule

 TerraPower Career and Benefits information:  https://www.terrapower.com/contact-us/careers/