Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer

About the role

Edgewater Technical Associates is seeking qualified candidates for Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer opportunities at various locations across the United States Department of Energy (DOE) complex. The positions support both traditional environmental clean-up missions and the advancement of first-in-kind commercial fuel capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, revise, and review Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) documentation such as Criticality Safety Evaluations (CSEs), Criticality Safety Determinations (CSDs), Technical Deviations (TDs), and other NCS technical basis documentation.
• Perform chemical dose consequence calculations.
• Demonstrate compliance with the double-contingency principle.
• Define, evaluate, and maintain criticality safety controls, limits, parameters, and requirements for fissile material processes, equipment, and facility layouts.
• Develop criticality accident alarm systems and inadvertent criticality emergency response plans.
• Develop criticality code validation reports.
• Support radiation shielding analysis to demonstrate adequate radiation mitigation.
• Support preparation and defense of Documented Safety Analyses (10 CFR Part 830) or Integrated Safety Analysis (10 CFR Part 70).
• Support preparation and defense of Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA) and Technical Specification (TS) content related to criticality safety.
• Conduct surveillances, inspections, walkthroughs, appraisals, or audits of fissile material operations to ensure compliance with approvals.
• Identify and evaluate NCS hazards for DOE nuclear facilities and commercial fuel cycle facilities.
• Support hazard analyses, control decision meetings, risk assessments, safety reviews for nuclear facilities and activities.
• Perform nuclear criticality safety evaluations to ensure safe handling, storage, processing, and transportation of fissile materials.
• Administer the NCS program, methodologies, policies, and management measures.
• Ensure compliance with DOE, NRC, and ANSI/ANS criticality safety-standards and regulations.
• Support preparation and submittal of criticality safety–related licensing documentation.
• Support interactions with regulators, including technical reviews, licensing reviews, and readiness reviews.
• Maintain accurate documentation and records to support regulatory audits and reviews.
• Respond to findings, identify and implement corrective actions, and ensure continued compliance with applicable regulations.
• Work with engineering, operations, quality assurance, and regulatory teams to integrate criticality safety early in facility design and modification processes.
• Ensure effective safety measures are incorporated throughout the design process and facility lifecycle.
• Provide technical guidance and training to personnel on criticality safety principles and procedures.

Qualifications

• Have a Bachelors, Masters, or PhD in nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, or chemistry.
• Have knowledge of nuclear science, physics of criticality, and chemistry.
• Have knowledge of ANSI/ANS-8 series national standards.
• Have familiarity with critical experiments and their purpose.
• Have expertise in using MCNP and SCALE code systems (KENO, TSUNAMI, etc.) in performing sensitivity, uncertainty, and criticality safety calculations.
• Have experience in performing criticality safety evaluations as a part of a nuclear facility safety basis.
• Have knowledge of nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear fuel cycle facility accident scenarios.
• Have knowledge of nuclear criticality safety codes, standards, regulatory requirements, and industry practices for DOE nuclear facilities and nuclear fuel cycle facilities.
• Have experience with Documented Safety Analyses (10 CFR Part 830) or Integrated Safety Analysis (10 CFR Part 70).

Preferred Qualifications

• Previously qualified as a Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer (e.g., ANSI/ANS-8.26).
• Professional Engineering (PE) License obtained by accredited examination.
• 3+ years of experience performing criticality safety evaluations for a DOE nuclear facility and/or an NRC licensed fuel cycle facility.
• Have 8 or more years of related work experience: of which 2 years’ experience in a nuclear facility.
• Have experience with commercial nuclear fuel cycle processes, including HALEU fuel manufacturing.
• Have 2-3 Years of experience in supporting CFR Part 70 licensing functions.
• Have familiarity with NUREG-1513, NUREG-1520, NUREG/CR-6410, NUREG/CR-6698, and NRC RG 3.71
• Have knowledge of other modeling tools (e.g., Serpent) and proficiency in Python to improve workflow.