Materials Engineer, Coatings Development

TerraPower LLC.•Bellevue, WA

5d•$138,685 - $208,027•Onsite

About The Position

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company focused on developing advanced nuclear reactors and innovations in medical isotopes. The company aims to raise global living standards through affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly nuclear energy. TerraPower is seeking motivated professionals for advanced nuclear reactor research and development, influencing the nuclear power landscape and contributing to medical isotope production. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on protected characteristics. TerraPower, LLC is seeking a highly motivated Materials Engineer to support the Core Materials Qualification team. This role involves material selection, development, and testing for next-generation materials and components for sodium-cooled fast reactors. The engineer will be responsible for developing coatings that meet the performance requirements of the Natrium Reactor.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree with minimum 6 years of related experience or a Master’s degree and 3 years of related experience or a PhD.
A degree in Materials Science/Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline is required.
Demonstrated experience developing specialized metallic and cermet coatings for extreme environments is required
A thorough understanding of tribology and surface engineering in non-lubricated environments is required
Proficiency in writing and producing technical documentation including test reports and studies is required
Ability to work with minimum direction to solve challenging problems is required
The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork
This position is subject to qualification requirements in accordance with ANSI/ANS 3.1. Candidates must meet the minimum education and experience criteria applicable to the role, including relevant nuclear industry experience where required. Verification of data will be part of the hiring process.

Nice To Haves

Experience writing specifications for the procurement, fabrication, or testing of materials is strongly desired
Prior experience in materials development, testing, and characterization for nuclear research or industry applications is desired
Experience working to quality standards such as ASME NQA-1, AS9100, ISO17025 or others is desired
Proficiency in experimental techniques for materials analysis such as optical microscopy, microhardness, profilometry, and SEM is preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the qualification of core coatings, including material selection, testing, and vendor scaling activities
Interface with various project teams to ensure materials development and testing efforts meet programmatic objectives
Source and screen potential coating materials and surface treatment technologies for improved friction, wear, and self-welding performance
Lead vendor contracts to research, develop, and implement custom coatings and surface treatments for a high neutron fluence, high temperature sodium environment
Coordinate in sodium testing needs with testing teams using in-house and out-of-house capabilities
Work with vendors and fabricators to procure specimens necessary to complete testing and to scale up coatings to component applications, including authoring statements of work and managing supplier performance to plan
Oversee material property test programs at external vendors, e.g. for neutron irradiation performance or mechanical properties
Collect data, develop, and maintain materials databases for design and licensing needs
Provide material selection guidance for TerraPower’s reactor development programs
Compose technical documents including test plans, test specifications, technical reports, and scientific studies related to materials and core design
Maintain project schedule and ensure timely delivery of results
Perform scientific analysis on test data and generate technical reports to document new knowledge related to materials performance and behavior, reactor design, and materials qualification