Sr. Mechnical Engineer, Nuclear

Natura Resources•Abilene, TX

15d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Mechanical Engineer, Nuclear provides mechanical engineering leadership for the development and implementation of reactor mechanical systems, equipment, and design deliverables. The role supports detailed design, design verification, technical reviews, interface control, procurement specifications, supplier and fabrication coordination, and resolution of technical issues. This position works closely with the Chief Engineer, project leadership, engineering disciplines, QA, licensing, procurement, chemistry, operations readiness, and external engineering and fabrication partners. The role is expected to apply disciplined nuclear design control practices, including control of design inputs, assumptions, calculations, drawings, specifications, design changes, configuration impacts, and objective evidence. The successful candidate must be able to work in a first-of-a-kind project environment while maintaining technical rigor, documentation discipline, conservatism, and alignment with applicable codes, standards, QA requirements, and project commitments.

Requirements

10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in nuclear, nuclear supplier, DOE, NRC-regulated, or other high-consequence engineering environments.
Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline.
Experience developing, reviewing, or approving mechanical design outputs such as calculations, drawings, specifications, design reports, equipment requirements, and supplier technical documents.
Experience working under formal design control, configuration management, engineering change control, or quality-affecting engineering processes; experience in nuclear design control is preferred.
Strong working knowledge of mechanical systems, pressure boundary components, piping, vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, valves, supports, materials, or high-temperature equipment.
Ability to perform technical reviews, identify design gaps, resolve interdisciplinary issues, and document technical decisions with appropriate rigor.
Strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and cross-functional coordination skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in nuclear design engineering, advanced reactors, research reactors, DOE projects, NRC-regulated environments, or nuclear supplier organizations.
Experience with NQA-1, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Criterion III, ANS-15.8, DOE nuclear expectations, or comparable nuclear design control frameworks.
Experience with ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, including Section III, Division 5, or other high-temperature reactor mechanical design codes and standards.
Experience with molten salt systems, liquid-metal systems, high-temperature piping, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, corrosion-resistant materials, thermal stress, or chemically aggressive service environments.
Experience supporting procurement specifications, supplier technical evaluations, fabrication oversight, commercial-grade dedication, receipt inspection, or supplier document reviews.
Professional Engineer (PE) license, advanced engineering degree, or other relevant technical certification.

Responsibilities

Lead or support mechanical design activities for assigned MSR-1 systems, components, and equipment.
Develop, review, and maintain design inputs, design basis information, calculations, drawings, specifications, design reports, equipment requirements, and technical basis documents in accordance with applicable design control requirements.
Ensure design outputs are complete, technically justified, independently reviewed when required, traceable to requirements, and suitable for procurement, fabrication, installation, testing, and operation.
Perform and support design reviews, design verification, interdisciplinary reviews, supplier document reviews, constructability reviews, and technical evaluations.
Identify technical gaps, resolve comments, document assumptions, and ensure open items are tracked to closure.
Support configuration management and engineering change control by evaluating technical, QA, licensing, procurement, fabrication, schedule, and operational impacts of proposed changes.
Apply applicable codes, standards, and nuclear quality expectations to mechanical design activities, including NQA-1 Requirement 3 design control practices, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B Criterion III when invoked, and relevant ASME, pressure boundary, piping, structural, materials, and high-temperature design requirements.
Work with QA and licensing personnel to ensure mechanical design products, procurement requirements, supplier submittals, and technical records support applicable QA program commitments and licensing assumptions.
Support procurement and supplier execution by developing technical specifications, reviewing supplier proposals and submittits, resolving technical questions, supporting source or receipt inspections as needed, and ensuring supplier documentation meets technical, QA, and records requirements.
Provide mechanical engineering support for fabrication planning, manufacturing issues, deviation requests, nonconforming conditions, and acceptance of delivered items.
Coordinate with engineering disciplines, project controls, procurement, chemistry, R&D, QA, licensing, and operations readiness to ensure mechanical design work is aligned with project priorities, interfaces, schedule needs, and technical assumptions.
Mentor less experienced engineers, provide clear technical direction, communicate risks early, and support a culture of disciplined engineering execution in a fast-moving project environment.