Our client is seeking a highly motivated Materials Engineer (level to be determined based upon qualifications – Engineer, Senior Engineer, Principal Engineer) to support the engineering efforts of the MCFR Materials Engineering team. This role will be a part of a high functioning team of engineers focused on materials engineering challenges for next generation materials and components for molten chloride fast reactors.
You will be an integral part of the MCFR program, providing valuable materials insight and supporting/justifying plant level decisions on material selection through developing a thorough understanding of candidate materials in this extreme environment. Work developing and qualifying the materials’ mechanical properties, corrosion, corrosion-erosion and environmentally assisted degradation responses, and irradiation behavior are some of the main foci of the team. You will interface and work closely with the test engineering, radiochemistry and mechanical design teams at the client.
Responsibilities:
- Plan and oversee material testing and material irradiation campaigns for candidate molten chloride fast reactor materials with external partners and collaborators
- Plan and oversee post-irradiation examination, testing and characterization campaigns with external partners and collaborators
- Evaluate and analyze material testing, irradiation, and characterization data in order to provide inputs for reactor design
- Develop test requirements, plans, specifications, and procedures for testing metallic materials in high temperature molten salt environments and under irradiation
- Assist in the planning of and participate in test programs for environmentally assisted degradation of candidate materials (e.g. corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, irradiation assisted degradation, environmentally assisted fatigue, creep, etc.)
- Interface with project teams (mechanical design, testing, radiochemistry, etc.) to ensure material development and testing efforts meet program objectives
- Work in cooperative projects for material testing and development with external collaborators, partners, and suppliers
- Maintain project schedule and timely delivery of results to internal and external project stakeholders
- Conduct testing and material characterization in a laboratory environment
- Provide materials engineering support for the procurement of engineered components and systems
- Assist in the procurements of materials, equipment, and testing services, including authoring procurement requisitions and managing supplier performance
- Perform scientific analysis on test data and generate technical reports to document new knowledge related to material performance and behavior, reactor design, and material qualification
- Provide material selection guidance and documentation supporting materials selection
Key Qualifications and Skills:
- Education and experience requirements. Job level to be determined based upon education and experience.
- Materials Engineer: Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD.
- Senior Materials Engineer: Bachelor’s degree with minimum 6 years related experience; or Master’s degree with minimum 3 years of related experience; or a PhD.
- Principal Materials Engineer: Bachelor’s degree with minimum 15 years of related experience; or a Master’s degree with minimum 8 years of related experience, or a PhD with minimum 5 years of related experience.
- Prior experience in material development, testing, and characterization for nuclear research or industry applications is required
- Proficiency in experimental techniques for material testing and characterization is required
- A thorough understanding of metallurgy including fabrication and thermomechanical processing of nonferrous (e.g., nickel-base) and ferrous (e.g., stainless steels) alloys is desired
- Understanding of neutron irradiation effects on metallic materials and experience is desired
- Knowledge of non-aqueous corrosion and environmentally assisted degradation mechanisms is desired
- Knowledge of material aging mechanisms common to nuclear power reactors and other extreme operating environments is desired
- Proficiency in writing and producing technical documentation including test reports and studies is desired
- Experience writing specifications (material, testing, fabrication, etc.) is desired
- Excellent oral and written communication skills are desired
- Experience cooperating with external project partners/collaborators and Suppliers for technical scopes of work is highly desired
- Working knowledge of ASME Section III Div. 5 is highly desired
- Experience working to quality standards such as ASME NQA-1 is preferred
- Ability to work with minimum direction to solve challenging problems is required
- The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork
