Technical Leader II - Fuel Materials & Reliability

EPRI•Charlotte, NC

9d•$138,000 - $150,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled technical expert in fuel reliability and performance, with a particular focus on fuel materials and cladding corrosion in commercial light water reactors (LWRs) and non-destructive fuel examination technologies. In this position, the successful candidate will lead cutting-edge research and directly engage with utilities, fuel suppliers, and national laboratories to solve some of the industry’s most complex fuel challenges. Your expertise will help drive advancements in cladding behavior, corrosion mechanisms, fuel performance, and inspection technologies—ultimately contributing to safer, reliable, and more economical electricity generation. The ideal candidate should have deep technical expertise in the behavior of nuclear fuel under LWR operating conditions, including fuel cladding corrosion, hydrogen pickup, irradiated fuel and cladding materials testing, crud and crud-induced corrosion mechanisms and modeling, fuel cladding/chemistry interaction, LWR fuel operating experience, and non-destructive fuel inspection technologies (development and application). The ideal candidate should also have a broad knowledge on nuclear industry and its key stakeholders. A successful candidate will develop R&D programs to solve technical challenges related to fuel reliability and performance issues in commercial LWRs current and future operating conditions.

Requirements

Deep technical expertise in the behavior of nuclear fuel under LWR operating conditions, including fuel cladding corrosion, hydrogen pickup, irradiated fuel and cladding materials testing, crud and crud-induced corrosion mechanisms and modeling, fuel cladding/chemistry interaction, LWR fuel operating experience, and non-destructive fuel inspection technologies (development and application).
Broad knowledge on nuclear industry and its key stakeholders.
Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field or equivalent experience required.

Nice To Haves

Strong communication, presentation, and consensus‑building skills.
Direct experience with destructive and nondestructive evaluation techniques for irradiated nuclear reactor fuel and fuel assembly components.
Direct experience with laboratory testing and hot cell examinations (corrosion and mechanical properties).
Direct experience collaborating within multi-organization R&D environments (e.g., fuel suppliers, national laboratories, research institutes, utilities, etc.).
Knowledge of fuel assembly design and manufacturing.
Knowledge of LWR core design and operation.
Has developed relationships with primary advisors to a research area.

Responsibilities

Lead and support technical projects aimed at solving complex fuel reliability and performance challenges in commercial LWRs.
Develop and execute R&D strategies, including projects from concepts, to scopes of work, laboratory task oversight, and delivery of research results in collaboration with industry experts and stakeholders.
Drive innovation in areas such as cladding corrosion, hydrogen pickup, crud-induced corrosion, and poolside inspection technologies.
Present project results to utility members, leadership teams, and other industry stakeholder groups.
Lead industry engagement through workshops, technical meetings, and other collaborative forums to influence or establish industry-wide standards and best practices.
Travel both in US and internationally to support engagement with utilities for technology transfer and project execution.
Works independently on technical activities without direct supervision.
Regularly demonstrates responsibility for highly specialized technical objectives or problems where the relationships between cause and effect are difficult to establish and little or no precedence exists, and the use of creative and imaginative thinking is required.
Maintains familiarity with the progress and problems in assigned technical areas.
Provides assistance to the EPRI sales staff in Member Services and EPRI International.
Effectively communicates strategies and results, expressing thoughts clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing, to subject matter experts, program members and advisors through guidelines, reports, meetings, webcasts, workshops and conferences.
Regularly communicates and coordinates work activities across programs.
May provide oversight of a project team to assure technical and financial milestones are met.
Organizes the external and interdepartmental activities ensuring completion of the project/product on schedule and within budget.
Supports the planning and execution of complex project work within the technical department to meet member/client objectives; prepares and presents research reports.
Manages small or medium (less complex) projects including budgets and resources without direct people management responsibilities.
Influences project teams in the engineering aspects of the technical work.
Increased interactions and coordination of EPRI work with national and international technical networks (e.g, manufacturers, consultants, academia and research organizations).
Begins to lead proposal efforts and new promotional work.
Develops research or services opportunities of value to EPRI members that fit EPRI’s mission and capabilities. This will include solving customer problems, producing insights and information vital to the members, and delivering information in a manner that members and customers can and will apply.
Continues to provide guidance and mentorship to junior staff.