System Design Engineer – EM Pump

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 hire 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.

System Design Engineer – EM Pump

The System Design Engineer – EM Pump reports to the Sodium Processing System Manager and is focused on the design, fabrication and testing support of the sodium processing system EM Pump. In this role, you will act as a system design engineer for TerraPower’s advanced nuclear reactor projects. The successful candidate will integrate and coordinate with engineers working on interfacing systems. The System Design Engineer – EM Pump will work as part of a high-performing team of engineers and scientists.

Responsibilities

• Support all aspects of EM Pump design and development within TerraPower.
• Take ownership and oversight of submersible electromagnetic pump design, fabrication and operation, or its alternative designs.
• Develop deep understanding of design and modeling behind the current pump design, including thermohydraulic, magnetohydrodynamic, etc. design aspects.
• Support EM Pump integration into the Processing System steady state and transient thermohydraulic model in Aspen HYSYS Plus.
• Complete or support analyses, such as thermal, seismic, structural, pipe stress, heat transfer, and/or other analyses performed by others and integrate the results into plant design delivery.
• Support prototype lab testing of the current pump design and support rapid turnover modifications.
• Propose and initiate additional testing programs for plant system qualification, as needed.
• Provide Support and oversight during test execution, evaluation of test results, and reporting of test results.
• Utilize various codes, including B31.3 and ASME BPVC Sections III and VIII
• Perform technical trade studies and decisions to refine pump design.
• Analyze and allocate regulatory criteria and standards to complex mechanical and process system design.
• Interface with the design team to create and manage drawing packages to support pump and/or system design.
• Interface with design disciplines (such as mechanical, instrumentation and controls, civil, and nuclear) to identify and develop plant design information and specify system design and performance criteria.
• Provide technical direction and oversight of supplier projects, working with the contract administrator to ensure delivery of data and other deliverables, as well as coordination and performance of technical reviews of deliverables.
• Establish and maintain system requirements and specifications documents, such as Engineering Design Specifications for major pump and supporting equipment.
• Generate design package for pumps, pump support systems, sub-systems, and equipment designs including coordination of calculations, design reports, mechanical drawings, and engineering design specifications.
• Develop and review technical design documents, such as System Design Descriptions, Interface Control Documents, Engineering Design Specifications, etc.
• Interface with and support licensing activities associated with Safety Analysis Reports.
• Support design reviews as plant system and subsystem designs are established and refined.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering or related discipline from an accredited university and 10+ years direct experience with electromagnetic pumps.
• Demonstrated experience with thermodynamics, magnetohydrodynamics, fluids, heat transfer, materials, system controls and mechanics, gas handling and processing.
• Deep understanding of electromagnetic pumps in liquid metal environments.
• Expert level experience using COMSOL Multiphysics and MATLAB.
• Experience with CFD/FEA on complex components.
• Ability to run understand and run Aspen HYSYS Plus.
• Experience with piping systems and the ability to read P&IDs.
• Experience working with suppliers in development and fabrication of safety-related equipment.
• Strong understanding of design codes (ASME, BPVC, API).
• Experience working to quality standards on design activities, such as ASME NQA-1, AS 9100, ISO 9001, or equivalent.
• Experience in high temperature and multi-discipline integration highly desired.
• Previous experience with nuclear reactors, nuclear handling process systems, or similar high-performance system or equipment design is highly desired.
• Supplier/Contractor coordination and oversight experience.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Attention to detail and aspiration for technical excellence.
• Candidate must be a self-starter and possess ability to coordinate and lead a design team’s effort with minimal direction.
• Ability to handle projects that include many competing objectives and design constraints, with ability to resolve conflicts between objectives.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, able to communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.
• Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications.

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%

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: $168,316 - $252,475

Any 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 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 and Disability