Senior Director of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs- US Based

Blykalla

6h•Hybrid

About The Position

Blykalla is a Swedish nuclear technology company developing SEALER, a lead-cooled small modular reactor. The company is establishing its US presence, engaging with the Department of Energy (DOE) and national laboratories, and building the regulatory foundation for a US demonstration reactor. The team consists of approximately 100 engineers, regulatory experts, and project professionals across Sweden and the US. The Senior Director, US Licensing & Regulatory Affairs will be responsible for Blykalla's entire US regulatory pathway, from DOE authorization of the demonstration reactor to NRC licensing of commercial units. This is the most senior regulatory position in Blykalla US and reports directly to the CEO. The role involves being the principal interface to the NRC, DOE, INL/Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA), shaping pre-application engagement with the NRC, stewarding the Launch Pad authorization pathway, and translating the novel lead-cooled reactor concept into a licensable basis for the US regulator. The role is both technical and strategic, requiring the individual to draft and defend key licensing submissions and own the regulatory strategy at the executive level. Over time, the individual will build and lead a US licensing team.

Requirements

20+ years in US nuclear regulatory affairs or licensing, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
Deep, direct experience with NRC processes: pre-application engagement, topical reports, construction permit applications, COL, or Part 53.
Track record of leading or materially contributing to at least one advanced, novel, or first-of-a-kind US licensing effort.
Ability to personally author and defend NRC-facing technical licensing documentation — not just manage others doing so.
BS in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree and/or SRO license.
Prior senior-level experience at NRC or DOE (NE-3, NE-5, or National Lab), with an active professional network in those institutions.
Experience licensing non-LWR technology (sodium, lead, molten salt, HTGR).
Direct experience with DOE authorization pathways (Launchpad, DOE Order 420.1, DARK or equivalent).
Experience building a licensing function from zero at a vendor, utility, or national lab.
Prior industry leadership role on NEI, US NIC, or ANS advanced-reactor working groups.
Familiarity with European nuclear regulation (SSM, ONR, ASN) and the IAEA framework.
Risk-Informed / Performance-Based (RIPB) licensing experience.
PRA or severe accident analysis background.

Responsibilities

Define and own Blykalla's US regulatory pathway through pre-application engagement, Regulatory Engagement Plan (REP), topical reports, and construction permit / operating license or combined license applications.
Select and defend the licensing framework (10 CFR Part 50, Part 52, or Part 53) for the US demonstration and subsequent commercial units.
Anticipate policy issues unique to lead-cooled fast reactors (e.g., source term, coolant chemistry, structural materials, passive safety credit) and sequence them into the NRC engagement plan.
Lead Blykalla's DOE authorization strategy for the US demonstration reactor, including applications under Launchpad or successor programs.
Own the regulatory interface with INL and BEA for any DOE-sited prototype, including safety documentation, DOE Authorization Requests, and approvals.
Align DOE authorization and NRC licensing so the demonstration reactor serves as a credible precedent for subsequent commercial NRC licensing.
Personally own or review first-of-a-kind licensing documents: safety analyses, PRA and risk-informed justifications, design-basis accident selection, source term, and principal design criteria.
Translate engineering and safety work product from Swedish teams into US regulatory submittals that meet NRC formatting, precedent, and expectation.
Identify and resolve gaps where no NRC precedent exists for lead-cooled technology, and develop the regulatory basis to establish new precedent.
Partner with the global VP Regulatory Affairs in Sweden to keep SSM and NRC programs mutually reinforcing, avoiding duplication and exploiting shared safety case work where possible.
Work with engineering, safety, and project management in Sweden to ensure the SEALER design basis is preserved through US licensing translation.
Brief the CEO, board, and investors on US regulatory status, risks, and milestones.
Build and lead a US-based licensing team as the program scales, defining roles, hiring criteria, and ways of working.
Establish Blykalla's US regulatory operating system: document control, NRC correspondence standards, RAI tracking, and audit-ready records.
Represent Blykalla on selected industry bodies (NEI, US NIC, GAIN) where doing so advances our licensing position.