Major Projects - Nuclear Fuel Transition Lead Engineer

Vistra • Perry, GA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Vistra is seeking a senior Lead Fuels Engineer to direct the implementation of a nuclear fuel transition across Vistra nuclear power plants in support of a major power uprate program. This role provides technical leadership and program ownership for all fuel-related aspects of the uprate, including fuel design integration, licensing support, vendor management, and plant implementation. The position serves as the owner’s senior technical authority for fuel performance and fuel-related licensing deliverables, with direct responsibility for ensuring technical adequacy, regulatory compliance, and alignment with uprated operating conditions. A key function of this role is owner acceptance of fuel-related engineering and licensing products, including establishing acceptance criteria, directing technical reviews, and approving or rejecting vendor deliverables for use in the plant licensing basis and NRC submittals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• 8+ years of commercial nuclear experience, with strong background in nuclear fuel, reactor engineering, safety analysis, or licensing.
• Demonstrated experience with nuclear fuel design, reload engineering, or fuel performance.
• Experience reviewing and accepting technical or licensing deliverables on behalf of a utility or plant owner.
• Experience managing nuclear fuel vendors or major engineering suppliers.
• Strong understanding of reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, safety analysis, and NRC licensing basis requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience with nuclear power uprates or fuel vendor transitions.
• NRC licensing experience including submittals, audits, and RAI responses.
• Familiarity with reload safety analysis, core design, and fuel performance evaluation.
• Experience working under NQA-1 quality programs.
• PE license or equivalent credential.

Responsibilities

• Lead the fleet-wide fuel transition strategy for three nuclear plants supporting the power uprate, ensuring fuel design supports reactor physics, thermal limits, safety margins, fuel performance, and uprated operating conditions.
• Facilitate Integrating fuel engineering across uprate workstreams, including safety analysis, reactor physics, thermal hydraulics, operations, plant modifications, licensing readiness, and startup readiness activities.
• Establish fuel-related technical positions, engineering requirements, and acceptance criteria, and provide senior leadership with recommendations on readiness, risk, constraints, and implementation decisions.
• Define, enforce, and document owner acceptance of vendor analyses, safety reports, methodologies, reload evaluations, and other fuel-related engineering and licensing deliverables.
• Ensure vendor products are technically sound, traceable, plant-specific, regulatory-ready, and suitable for NRC submittal, with owner comments resolved before acceptance.
• Serve as the primary technical interface for the nuclear fuel vendor, holding the vendor accountable for quality, completeness, schedule, regulatory readiness, and resolution of technical deficiencies.
• Support NRC interactions and licensing basis development related to fuel design, uprate safety analysis, reload evaluations, and implementation of uprate-related fuel changes.
• Develop and execute the integrated fuel transition plan across all three units, including initial reload support, early-cycle performance evaluation, and application of lessons learned across the fleet.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior