Nuclear Commissioning and Startup Engineer

Oklo•Santa Clara, CA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Nuclear Commissioning and Startup Engineer supports the planning, coordination, and field execution of commissioning and startup activities for Oklo facilities. This role helps transition systems and facilities from construction through testing, turnover, operational readiness, initial operation, and project completion. The Nuclear Commissioning and Startup Engineer works directly with Operations, Engineering, Construction, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, vendors, contractors, and other project organizations to ensure systems are properly scoped, tested, documented, accepted, and ready for operation. This engineer develops and reviews commissioning plans, test procedures, system turnover requirements, schedules, resource needs, and readiness criteria and then provides onsite engineering support during execution. During field assignments, the Nuclear Commissioning and Startup Engineer may serve as a system-based commissioning engineer, test engineer, shift test engineer, or field engineering lead. The engineer confirms system and test readiness, supports test teams, monitors plant response and test data, coordinates troubleshooting, resolves deficiencies, and ensures results are properly evaluated and documented. This is a project-deployment role with remote work between field assignments. When assigned to an active commissioning or startup project, the Nuclear Commissioning and Startup Engineer must be prepared to mobilize to the applicable project site for periods lasting several weeks to several months. Upon completion of an assignment, the engineer may return to remote work until mobilized for the next project. The frequency, location, and duration of assignments will vary based on company and project needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in nuclear, mechanical, electrical, chemical, or another relevant engineering or technical discipline; equivalent directly applicable nuclear, commissioning, or operational experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
Five or more years of experience in commissioning and startup, nuclear operations, system testing, field engineering, power generation, naval nuclear propulsion, national laboratory operations, construction completion, or another highly regulated technical environment
Hands-on field experience supporting the testing, commissioning, startup, operation, maintenance, or troubleshooting of complex mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and controls, or process systems
Experience developing, reviewing, or executing technical test procedures, commissioning procedures, operating procedures, or similar controlled work instructions
Experience translating design requirements, specifications, calculations, safety requirements, or vendor information into executable tests and acceptance criteria
Experience reading and interpreting technical documents such as piping and instrumentation diagrams, electrical single-line diagrams, wiring diagrams, logic diagrams, control narratives, system descriptions, specifications, calculations, and vendor manuals
Working knowledge of system turnover, configuration control, work control, equipment status, test boundaries, and safe field execution
Ability to evaluate system performance, interpret test data, identify abnormal conditions, and coordinate technical problem-solving in the field
Demonstrated ability to work across Operations, Engineering, Construction, Maintenance, Quality, Safety, vendors, and contractors
Strong technical writing, verbal communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
Ability to work independently and make sound decisions in dynamic field conditions using incomplete or evolving information
Ability and willingness to mobilize to project sites for extended assignments lasting several weeks to several months
Ability to work shifts, extended hours, nights, weekends, or holidays as required during commissioning and startup activities
Ability to travel to Oklo facilities, national laboratories, vendor facilities, and other project locations as business needs require
Ability to obtain and maintain unescorted access to nuclear facilities, if required

Nice To Haves

Experience commissioning or starting up a nuclear facility, power plant, first-of-a-kind industrial facility, research reactor, microreactor, or Department of Energy nuclear facility
Experience as a reactor operator, senior reactor operator, shift technical advisor, system operator, engineering watchstander, or other nuclear facility operator
Current or previous NRC Reactor Operator or Senior Reactor Operator license or certification
Relevant qualification through the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, such as Engineering Officer of the Watch, Propulsion Plant Watch Officer, or Engineering Watch Supervisor
Experience with sodium-cooled fast reactors, liquid-metal systems, fast-reactor technology, or sodium-system testing
Experience with steam plants, heat-transport systems, electrical distribution, instrumentation and controls, digital control systems, or balance-of-plant systems
Experience with systemization, construction completion, walkdowns, punch lists, turnover packages, completions-management software, or system acceptance
Experience developing or executing preoperational, integrated, startup, surveillance, or acceptance testing
Experience serving as a commissioning engineer, startup engineer, test engineer, shift test engineer, test director, or system-based commissioning lead
Experience supporting joint test groups, test-review boards, readiness reviews, or other formal test-governance organizations
Experience overseeing vendor or contractor testing and coordinating multi-organization field activities
Experience with troubleshooting, root-cause evaluation, corrective-action programs, nonconformance resolution, or retesting
Experience implementing work control, tagging, lockout/tagout, foreign-material-exclusion, configuration-control, or equipment-status-control programs
Familiarity with applicable NRC requirements, Department of Energy requirements, industry standards, and nuclear safety and quality-assurance programs
Experience working under a nuclear quality-assurance program
Experience with field data collection, test instrumentation, data trending, test-result evaluation, and technical report preparation
Experience working with regulators, national laboratories, construction contractors, vendors, customers, or other external technical stakeholders

Responsibilities

Develop and implement commissioning and startup plans, strategies, schedules, system-based work scopes, and execution methods
Define commissioning boundaries, test objectives, prerequisites, acceptance criteria, required resources, and system turnover requirements
Develop, review, verify, and maintain preoperational, commissioning, integrated, and startup test procedures
Translate design requirements, safety requirements, specifications, calculations, vendor information, and system requirements into executable test methods and acceptance criteria
Develop and maintain commissioning test matrices, requirements-traceability tools, system status records, turnover packages, and test completion documentation
Support systemization and define the structures, systems, components, boundaries, and work packages needed for effective commissioning and turnover
Coordinate construction completion, system walkdowns, punch-list resolution, turnover documentation, and acceptance of systems for testing
Verify test prerequisites, plant configuration, test boundaries, equipment status, temporary configurations, instrumentation, personnel, and procedural readiness before test execution
Participate in pre-job briefs, daily coordination meetings, shift turnovers, schedule reviews, and test-readiness reviews
Provide field engineering oversight during commissioning and startup testing
Monitor system response and test data in real time and compare observed performance against expected results and acceptance criteria
Support operators and test directors during system manipulations, integrated testing, startup testing, and other significant plant evolutions
Identify unexpected conditions, emerging risks, procedure deficiencies, equipment problems, and adverse trends during field activities
Exercise stop-work responsibility when testing cannot be performed safely or within approved requirements and controls
Coordinate troubleshooting among Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Construction, vendors, contractors, and other technical organizations
Document test deficiencies, open items, nonconformances, corrective actions, retest requirements, and final dispositions
Evaluate test results and prepare or support test reports, completion packages, turnover records, and recommendations for system acceptance
Support the transition from component-level testing to system testing, integrated plant testing, startup testing, and operational acceptance
Coordinate vendor and contractor testing and ensure activities are aligned with Oklo requirements, facility configuration, work controls, and project schedules
Support development and implementation of work-control, tagging, lockout/tagout, foreign-material-exclusion, configuration-control, and equipment-status-control practices needed during commissioning
Participate in operational-readiness reviews, management assessments, inspections, audits, and resolution of readiness findings
Provide input to operating procedures, maintenance procedures, training materials, system descriptions, and operational programs based on commissioning and startup experience
Capture lessons learned and use field experience to improve future test procedures, commissioning methods, plant designs, and repeatable deployment practices
Support multiple Oklo projects and facilities as priorities, schedules, and project phases evolve
Qualify as an Oklo plant operator or complete other assigned technical qualifications, as applicable
Maintain awareness of fast-reactor design, commissioning methods, operating experience, testing practices, and relevant industry developments