Fuel Fabrication Criticality Analysis & Nuclear Safety Engineer

Oklo•Idaho Falls, ID

14h

About The Position

Oklo is seeking a Criticality Analysis & Nuclear Safety Engineer to join its Fuel Fabrication team. The role develops and maintains the nuclear criticality safety basis and nuclear safety analyses supporting the design, licensing, construction, commissioning, and operation of advanced nuclear fuel fabrication facilities. It performs computational analyses and establishes engineered and administrative controls for fissile material operations, working closely with process, mechanical, operations, licensing, and quality teams to ensure facility designs meet nuclear safety requirements. The position supports fuel fabrication processes involving HALEU, plutonium, and uranium metal; licensing documentation and regulatory responses; facility design reviews; commissioning; and operational readiness. It also contributes to hazard evaluations, accident analyses, criticality alarm system requirements, and corrective actions for abnormal conditions. The role requires a collaborative, creative, detail-oriented approach and a commitment to nuclear safety in a fast-paced startup environment. Employees working remotely are required to travel to Oklo headquarters in Santa Clara, California, twice per quarter annually based on business or team needs. Employees must work in person at headquarters for the first two weeks of onboarding. The position may involve access to information subject to U.S. export control laws; only applicants who qualify as U.S. persons under applicable laws may be eligible. Employment may be contingent on successful drug screening, and employees may be subject to drug testing under company policy and applicable laws.

Requirements

Bachelor's or higher degree in Nuclear Engineering or a closely related discipline.
Experience performing nuclear criticality or safety analyses.
Knowledge of neutron transport methods and computational modeling.
Understanding of NRC or DOE nuclear safety requirements.
Strong technical writing and communication skills.
Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Strong understanding of neutron physics and criticality safety principles.
Experience applying ANSI/ANS-8 standards.
Proficiency with MCNP, SCALE, SERPENT, or equivalent modeling software.
Ability to evaluate complex nuclear process systems and identify credible accident scenarios.
Comfort working across engineering, operations, licensing, and quality organizations.
Excellent technical writing and presentation skills.
Comfort working in a fast-paced startup environment.
Creative, detail-oriented, and committed to nuclear safety culture.
3–10+ years of experience performing nuclear criticality safety or nuclear safety analyses in fuel cycle, reactor, DOE, national laboratory, or other highly regulated nuclear environments.
Applicants must meet the definition of a U.S. person under applicable laws to be eligible for work involving information subject to U.S. export control laws.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in Nuclear Engineering.
Experience supporting HALEU, plutonium, or uranium fuel fabrication facilities.
Experience preparing NRC licensing analyses.
Knowledge of DOE-STD-3007 and nuclear safety basis methodologies.
Experience with HAZOPs, accident analysis, or probabilistic risk assessment.
Familiarity with NQA-1 quality programs.

Responsibilities

Develop Criticality Safety Evaluations (CSEs) and supporting calculations.
Perform criticality analyses using MCNP, SCALE, SERPENT, or equivalent software.
Develop nuclear safety analyses, including hazard evaluations and accident analyses.
Establish fissile material limits, mass limits, geometry controls, moderation controls, and administrative controls.
Support facility design reviews to ensure criticality-safe equipment layouts and process designs.
Work with process engineers developing HALEU, plutonium, and uranium metal processes.
Support NRC licensing documentation and responses to regulatory requests.
Participate in HAZOPs, What-If analyses, FMEAs, and design reviews.
Develop criticality alarm system requirements and safety basis documentation.
Support startup testing, operational readiness reviews, and commissioning.
Investigate abnormal conditions and recommend corrective actions.
Maintain compliance with ANSI/ANS-8 standards and applicable NRC/DOE requirements.