Lead, Materials Engineering

X-energy • Rockville, MD

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

This role provides managerial support and technical leadership to engineers responsible for performing tasks associated with selecting, qualifying, and conducting lifetime analysis for materials in a nuclear reactor or nuclear facility. This includes providing organizational support for the project team, in which the team's individual contributors support. This will include assisting with the design, analysis, and environmental degradation management of systems, structures, and components for various advanced reactor plants.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in materials engineering, or related engineering discipline (e.g., chemical, nuclear, mechanical etc.) from an accredited institution.
• Typically, seven years of engineering experience.
• A master’s degree in engineering or related field (may include a combination of experience obtained through an academic institution, e.g., design projects, research, or design teams, as well as professional experience) may be in lieu of two years of experience.
• A Ph.D. in engineering or related field (may include a combination of experience obtained through an academic institution, e.g., design projects, research, or design teams, as well as professional experience) may be in lieu of three years of experience.
• Previous experience at X-energy exceeding performance standards may be in lieu of years of experience.
• Experience with metallurgical analysis and strong familiarity with metallic alloy material behavior
• Materials qualification leadership: Proven track record developing or applying materials for long-life performance in demanding environments (nuclear, aerospace, power generation)
• Weld qualification: Experience qualifying welded joints, understanding weld metallurgy, heat-affected zones, and residual stresses
• Nuclear licensing experience: Direct participation in NRC engagements (pre-application meetings, RAI responses, technical audits, ACRS presentations)
• Degradation mechanisms expertise: Deep understanding of SRC, SCC, creep, fatigue, irradiation damage, and environmental interactions
• Regulatory strategy: Ability to develop licensing strategies that balance technical rigor, schedule constraints, and design flexibility

Nice To Haves

• NRC interaction experience: Comfort presenting technical positions, responding to challenging questions, and building credibility with regulators
• Irradiation effects knowledge: Understanding of neutron irradiation effects on mechanical properties, microstructure, and long-term behavior
• Gas-cooled reactor experience: Exposure to HTGR technology, helium chemistry effects, or UK AGR operational experience
• Code and standards: Familiarity with ASME Section III, Code Cases, and regulatory guides for metallic components
• Topical Report development: Experience writing or contributing to NRC Topical Reports
• Cross-functional leadership: Ability to coordinate technical work across materials, design, analysis, and licensing teams
• Regulatory credibility: Experience interfacing with NRC staff and reviewers
• Strategic thinking: You see the path from technical challenge to licensing approval
• Communication skills: You can explain complex materials science to non-experts (licensing attorneys, NRC reviewers, ACRS members)
• Resilience: You thrive under tight deadlines and shifting priorities
• Leadership presence: People trust your technical authority and follow your direction

Responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of methodologies to qualify and characterize materials, specifically, metallic alloys, graphite, composites, and welding materials for nuclear reactor applications in high temperature environments.
• Support selection of appropriate materials, test methods, codes and standards, and prepare material specifications for component procurement.
• Inform development of and assist in oversight of materials testing programs to collect material properties and establish basis for material qualifications.
• Provide managerial support to the team using engineering tools, including appropriate simulation software, hand calculations, and engineering judgment.
• Provide support accessing microscale behavior, grain boundaries, surface effects, degradation behavior (corrosion, oxidation kinetics, neutron damage, etc.), and lifetime performance of materials.
• Support leading the team responsible for performing and assisting metallurgical analysis for the alloys selected for metallic systems, structures, and components of X-energy developed reactors, including pressure vessels and piping, reactor internals, heat exchangers, and other systems and components.
• Coordinate the collection and use of data to support the generation of constitutive material models and perform and assist structural integrity, creep-fatigue, and strain evaluations for metals at high temperatures.
• May manage staff by ensuring they are meeting expectations and promoting their professional development.
• Influences the development of strategy, methodology and technical tools for the area of responsibility, including control of resources, policy formulation, and ways in which technical work is executed.
• Interpret simple internal and external business challenges and recommend best practices to improve products, processes, tools, or services.
• Uses judgement to support decisions and handle complex tasks or problems in areas of operations, product management, manufacturing, technology, or engineering.
• Consider effects of tribology and material property evolution on system and component design as a function of temperature and environment.
• Write, develop, and coordinate the generation of design and analysis documentation including design basis documents, technical reports, calculations, and drawings in accordance with applicable procedures, as well as industry publications and engagement in professional forums.
• Manage the development of Verification and Validation (V&V) plans for analytical tools and support qualification of toolsets.
• Perform work in accordance with X-energy quality procedures for design and configuration management to ensure project quality requirements are met.
• Provide independent reviews and acceptance reviews of engineering deliverables and data.
• Always maintain professional demeanor and behavior in all forms of communication.
• Perform other duties as assigned by manager.

Benefits

• a 401K plan with an employer match
• Medical/Dental /Vision Insurance
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• a Tuition Reimbursement/Professional Development policy that supports the continuing education of our employees

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees