Neutronics Engineer

Position Description

The Neutronics Engineer is responsible for performing reactor design calculations that include core design and fuel cycle analyses. Other work includes the design of irradiation targets for radioisotope production and how those targets affect the local and macro reactor core system (self-shielding, fuel consumption, production yield, etc.)

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Perform the complete range of actions involved in core design and fuel cycle analysis using Monte Carlo and deterministic codes on Oklo/Atomic Alchemy reactors. These include core design, core sizing, core optimization, reactivity feedback, core lifetime, and criticality analyses, among others.
• Perform calculations and analyses in Monte Carlo based codes such as MCNP, Serpent, and OpenMC.
• Perform calculations and analyses with deterministic codes such as CASMO/SIMULATE or HELIOS.
• Be aware of and familiar with research reactor core design and analysis work being performed internationally, as well as related benchmark calculations and experiments being performed internationally.
• Provide technical feedback to quick-iterating design teams.
• Document work using modern tools and techniques, and write well-written, thoughtful technical reports.

Competencies

We are looking for a Neutronics Engineer that is:

• Passionate about making advanced industrial-scale radioisotope production
• Knowledgeable about research reactor design
• Highly skilled with Monte Carlo neutronics tools such as MCNP, SERPENT, and Open-MC
• Skilled with deterministic fast reactor tools, or wiling and eager to learn
• Eager to work on a dynamic team, receive constructive feedback, and grow with us
• Passionate about making “radioisotope shortage” a bygone phrase
• An optimist at heart
• Willing and able to learn quickly
• Willing to think differently and do things in new ways
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, highly iterative startup environment
• Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflective about the problems they are solving while not leaning only on what has been done before
• Willing to propose novel and creative solutions to technical problems
• An excellent writer who can write in a modern active voice, so make your cover letter compelling and write it well!
• Able to communicate technical content and results verbally

Experience Level

Intermediate (2-5yr) or Experienced (5-10yr)

Minimum Qualifications

• If you have experience and expertise in reactor design, apply! We also think the following are good indicators of qualifications to do this job: Bachelors, Masters, or PhD in a technical field, such as nuclear engineering, with experience in reactor design and analysis (Masters or PhD may be preferable)
• Fluency with Python
• Experience with modern object oriented languages, preferably C++
• Proficiency with high performance computing systems
• Proficiency with MCNP and SERPENT is highly recommended

Bonus Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in a reactor setting. Not required, but it is a bonus to not have purely theoretical/modeling experience.

Who You Are

A startup person: You aren't driven by titles or hierarchy, and prefer efficiency to excess process. You don't need or expect to have a lot of guidance but you enjoy working in a fast-paced team. If you prefer the culture and feel of a large organization, that is great, but you likely won’t enjoy working with us! There is plenty of important work and plenty of good opportunities with organizations like that. Motivated: You are self-motivated. You bring an enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking out. This isn’t about a fake or arbitrary “pieces of flair” mentality or lack of work-life balance! It is about being a pa