Manager, Fuel Fabrication

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.

Fuel Fabrication Manager

TerraPower is seeking a Fuel Fabrication Manager to join the Natrium Fuel Design and Supply team. The Fuel Fabrication Manager will oversee work scopes regarding the fabrication of Natrium fuel, including the construction of the fabrication facility, metallization of HALEU feedstock for use in fuel fabrication, and the fuel fabrication process. The Fuel Fabrication Manager will interface extensively with the Natrium Fuel Design and Supply leadership team and fuel fabrication partners to ensure proper integration between functional areas to support on-time fuel load.

Responsibilities:
• Collaborate with testing and operations teams to ensure in-house laboratory and pilot-scale operations progress manufacturing maturity, including furnace casting, metallographic evaluation, sample preparation, and fuel material acceptance testing such as dimensional, chemical, and microstructural characterization.
• Interface with reactor design, neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and safety analysis teams to ensure fuel material properties are adequately reflected in fuel fabrication efforts.
• Serve as the engineering owner for fuel components from metal feedstock to final fuel assemblies.
• Coordinate with Quality to ensure fuel fabrication deliverables meet quality requirements.
• Serve as the TerraPower point of contact NRC and/or DOE interactions related to fuel fabrication development, operations, supplier qualification activities, licensing, inspections, reportable events, and other topics.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team, with accountability for performance, goal setting, and career development.
• Develop and execute staffing plans and succession strategies to support program scale-up and long-term operational continuity.
• Maintain visibility on production status; identify and proactively mitigate schedule or quality risks across the supply chain.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in metallic nuclear fuels, such as alloy casting process development or fuel material characterization, especially as it pertains to fast reactor metal fuel qualification.
• Experience managing or technically directing vendors or contractors for nuclear-grade component fabrication, including supplier qualification, source inspection, and NCR disposition.
• Familiarity with engineering drawing standards, GD&T, material specifications (ASTM, ASME), and nuclear-grade procurement documentation requirements.
• Support continuous learning and application of nuclear industry best practices to maintain the highest quality of engineering and proactively identify process change/enhancement opportunities.

Key Qualifications and Skills
• Education: 10+ years of experience with B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field. Strong preference for nuclear materials, metallurgy, or nuclear fuel cycle engineering. Relevant M.S. and Doctorate degrees may be credited for up to two or four years of experience respectively.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Strong analytical/problem solving skills, creative thinker.
• Ability to work with minimum direction to solve challenging problems.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks concurrently during a given work week.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.

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
  • Gender Affirmation Benefits
• Parental Leave