Lead Mechanical Engineer 1 - Nuclear

Sargent & Lundy•Chicago, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role offers a hybrid work arrangement, with three days in the office and two days remote. The Lead Mechanical Engineer will be involved in nuclear power plant systems design. This includes preparing or reviewing modification packages for operating nuclear power plants, functional mechanical drawings, engineering analyses, technical specifications, procurement documents, vendor bid evaluations, and studies for plant modifications. The role also involves developing engineering cost estimates and visiting client sites to interface with clients and present engineering status. The position is within Sargent & Lundy's Nuclear Power Group, focusing on clean, carbon-free energy through expertise in SMRs, ART, and commercial reactor projects, as well as life extensions and modernization of existing plants.

Requirements

BS or MS in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering from an ABET accredited program with academic coursework in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfers
A minimum of 10 years of experience in the power industry
Working knowledge of codes, standards, and regulations that apply to mechanical engineering design of nuclear power plants
Willingness or ability to lead others who use modern tools like automation and AI

Nice To Haves

PE license
Experience in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, or related fields that enables effective oversight of automation and agentic AI-enabled engineering workflows
Minor, certificate, or other experience in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, or related fields

Responsibilities

Prepare or review modification packages for operating nuclear power plants
Prepare or review functional mechanical drawings and/or drawings for nuclear power plant systems
Perform engineering analyses and evaluations to support modifications and operation of plant systems
Prepare technical specifications and procurement documents for plant equipment
Conduct vendor bid evaluations for plant equipment
Perform studies and options evaluations for modifications to operating nuclear power plants
Develop engineering cost estimates for small to mid-sized client-requested work scopes
Visit client office and/or plant site locations to interface with the client and make presentations related to engineering tasks and status
Lead engineering project teams
Lead others in taking engineering problems from issue to solution by setting expectations for using data and modern tools such as automation and AI to improve workflows, reduce rework, and deliver cost-effective designs
Oversee engineers who program or script (e.g., Python, MATLAB, advanced Excel) to automate engineering tasks, with review of automated outputs