Core Structural Materials Engineering Manager

TerraPower·Bellevue, WA, USA·Posted July 2026

Nuclear industryUS only

About this role

Lead the development and qualification of materials for TerraPower's Natrium sodium fast reactor. Manage a dedicated engineering team overseeing material performance modeling, testing programs, supplier qualification, and regulatory compliance for advanced reactor core assembly components.

Responsibilities

—Oversee development and deployment of material performance models for metallic materials used in reactor core assembly components
—Approve material property datasets generated via Qualification of Existing Data per ASME NQA-1-2015
—Oversee materials test programs to validate models and ensure development efforts meet Natrium reactor objectives
—Provide materials engineering support for procurement of engineered components and lead technical development of suppliers
—Oversee development, optimization, and qualification of new materials for sodium fast reactor applications
—Coordinate with Fuel Development, Fuel Fabrication, and Core Design groups on fuel technologies for Natrium Kemmerer Unit 1
—Inform and support the licensing process for advanced reactor fuel
—Develop and maintain project schedule and budget with Senior Manager and Project Management team
—Manage the Core Materials Qualification team to deliver work within schedule and cost constraints
—Communicate engineering progress status to team, stakeholders, and management
—Ensure compliance to procedures, standards, and regulatory criteria
—Enforce work processes and conduct technical reviews of team deliverables
—Demonstrate visible leadership in safety and quality assurance
—Establish and enforce procedures for safe working environment
—Interface with regulators, stakeholders, and customers on materials engineering design issues
—Recommend staffing changes and manage approved staffing decisions with Human Resources
—Mentor and develop direct reports through training and challenging assignments

Qualifications

—8+ years of nuclear experience and Bachelor's degree in relevant engineering discipline; OR 8 years and Master's degree; OR PhD with 5 years experience; OR equivalent
—2+ years of supervisory or mentoring experience or equivalent people leadership experience
—Solid understanding of metallurgy including fabrication and thermomechanical processing of ferrous and nonferrous alloys
—Advanced knowledge and experience in nuclear quality programs, design control, and configuration management
—Experience working in stringent quality systems (ISO-9001, AS9100)
—Strong planning, budgeting, and execution track record with testing or modeling activities
—Effective verbal and written communication skills
—Ability to work independently and direct small teams with minimal oversight
—High degree of integrity, open communication, and commitment to teamwork