Materials Engineer, Coatings Development

About the company

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. Founded in 2006 by Bill Gates and a group of visionaries, TerraPower recognized energy access as crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided the private sector needed to create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. The company's mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. TerraPower's activities in nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy, and medical applications—all for substantial human health benefits.

About the role

TerraPower is seeking a highly motivated Materials Engineer to support the engineering efforts of the Core Materials Qualification team. This role will work as part of a high-functioning team focused on material selection, development, and testing for next-generation materials and components for sodium-cooled fast reactors. You will be responsible for developing coatings that support the performance requirements of the Natrium Reactor.

Responsibilities

• Lead the qualification of core coatings, including material selection, testing, and vendor scaling activities
• Interface with various project teams to ensure materials development and testing efforts meet programmatic objectives
• Source and screen potential coating materials and surface treatment technologies for improved friction, wear, and self-welding performance
• Lead vendor contracts to research, develop, and implement custom coatings and surface treatments for a high neutron fluence, high-temperature sodium environment
• Coordinate in-sodium testing needs with testing teams using in-house and out-of-house capabilities
• Work with vendors and fabricators to procure specimens necessary to complete testing and to scale up coatings to component applications, including authoring statements of work and managing supplier performance to plan
• Oversee material property test programs at external vendors, e.g., for neutron irradiation performance or mechanical properties
• Collect data, develop, and maintain materials databases for design and licensing needs
• Provide material selection guidance for TerraPower's reactor development programs
• Compose technical documents including test plans, test specifications, technical reports, and scientific studies related to materials and core design
• Maintain project schedule and ensure timely delivery of results
• Perform scientific analysis on test data and generate technical reports to document new knowledge related to materials performance and behavior, reactor design, and materials qualification

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 6 years of related experience, or a Master's degree and 3 years of related experience, or a PhD. A degree in Materials Science/Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline is required.
• Demonstrated experience developing specialized metallic and cermet coatings for extreme environments is required.
• A thorough understanding of tribology and surface engineering in non-lubricated environments is required.
• Proficiency in writing and producing technical documentation including test reports and studies is required.
• Experience writing specifications for the procurement, fabrication, or testing of materials is strongly desired.
• Prior experience in materials development, testing, and characterization for nuclear research or industry applications is desired.
• Experience working to quality standards such as ASME NQA-1, AS9100, ISO17025, or others is desired.
• Proficiency in experimental techniques for materials analysis such as optical microscopy, microhardness, profilometry, and SEM is preferred.
• Ability to work with minimum direction to solve challenging problems is required.
• High degree of trust and integrity, with strong communication skills and a desire to foster teamwork.

This position is subject to qualification requirements in accordance with ANSI/ANS 3.1. Candidates must meet the minimum education and experience criteria applicable to the role, including relevant nuclear industry experience where required. Verification of data will be part of the hiring process.

Job Functions

• Motor Abilities: Sitting for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands).
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds.
• Repetitive work: Prolonged.
• Special Senses: Visual and audio-focused work.
• Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hours/day.
• Travel required: 0-10%.

TerraPower's technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government. TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements. To facilitate export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States. Government export authorization approval times vary. Based on business needs, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Pay

Salary Range: $138,685 - $208,027. Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected candidate's qualifications and experience. This range is specific to Washington State.

Schedule

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments.
• Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits:
  • Medical
  • Vision
  • Dental
  • Life and Disability
  • Gender Affirmation Benefits
  • Parental Leave
• 401k Plan
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO):
  • 21 days of annually accrued PTO
  • 10 paid holidays
• Relocation Assistance
• Professional and Educational Support Opportunities