Digital Twin Principal Engineer, Lead

TerraPower•Bellevue, WA

46d

About The Position

We are seeking a Digital Twin Principal Engineer / Technical Lead to design and build the foundational architecture for our Digital Twin initiative, enabling next-generation insights across reactor design, construction, and operations. This role is responsible for translating the digital twin strategy into technical execution - establishing system architecture, leading technical development, and building the early prototypes that will define the program's technical direction. You will lead the hands-on design and integration of high-fidelity simulation, engineering, and operational data into a cohesive digital twin ecosystem. The role requires deep technical expertise, strong systems thinking, and the ability to guide both internal teams and external partners in developing validated, scalable digital solutions for advanced nuclear systems. Reporting directly to the Director of Digital Products and AI, you'll be part of a small, mission-driven team building foundational digital systems that will define how advanced nuclear reactors are designed, built, and operated. As one of the first technical leaders on the Digital Twin initiative, you will directly influence architecture, standards, and long-term technical direction-working alongside industry-leading engineers and partners in AI, HPC, and simulation.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Mechanical/Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
10+ years of experience in software engineering, simulation, or large-scale data systems.
Proven record of leading the design and delivery of technically complex, integrated systems.
Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, or equivalent.
Experience with HPC or GPU-based computation for simulation or AI workloads.
Understanding of scientific or engineering data workflows (e.g., CAD/CAE, CFD, FEA, or physics-based modeling).
Demonstrated experience guiding technical teams and delivering solutions under structured software governance.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
Experience architecting or implementing digital twin frameworks, industrial IoT platforms, or predictive modeling systems.
Proficiency with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and physics-informed ML approaches.
Familiarity with hybrid cloud or distributed compute systems (e.g., Azure HPC, Kubernetes, Omniverse).
Working knowledge of software quality and compliance frameworks (e.g., NQA-1, ASME V&V 40, DOE or NRC software standards).
Strong communication skills and the ability to clearly present technical content to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

Define and uphold the technical vision and architecture for the Digital Twin program, spanning data infrastructure, model integration, simulation, and analytics layers.
Establish software standards, interfaces, and design principles to ensure modularity, scalability, and traceability across the digital twin ecosystem.
Serve as the technical authority and hands-on lead engineer, ensuring that development activities align with the strategic direction set by the Director of Digital Products & AI.
Translate digital twin strategy into actionable technical roadmaps, milestones, and design decisions.
Collaborate across Engineering, IT, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to ensure seamless integration with enterprise systems and data environments.
Prototype and deliver core digital twin components integrating simulation data (e.g., thermal-hydraulics, neutronics), IoT and sensor data, and AI/ML-driven predictive models.
Develop APIs, data schemas, and pipelines connecting simulation tools with enterprise and visualization platforms.
Implement secure, compliant, and validated software workflows in accordance with SQA and NQA-1 standards.
Benchmark and optimize performance for high-fidelity and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.
Mentor engineers and data scientists to establish strong technical foundations and development best practices.
Contribute to hiring and onboarding technical staff as the digital twin program scales.
Provide technical guidance to vendor and research partners to ensure integration quality and alignment with internal standards.
Evaluate and implement emerging technologies in simulation, AI/ML, and industrial digital twins.
Drive proof-of-concept efforts and technical feasibility studies to accelerate innovation.
Support the development of software verification and validation (V&V) frameworks and documentation to meet regulatory and quality standards.