Principal Materials Engineer

Job Description
Position Title: Principal Materials Engineer
Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting contract Principal Materials Engineer opportunity.
Job Responsibilities:

• Support development, optimization, and qualification of new materials and processes for sodium fast reactor applications
• Advise on strategy for qualification of structural materials for the reactor core under ASME NQA-1
• Provide guidance on compliance to procedures, standards and regulatory criteria
• Guide development and qualification activities for Type 1B fuel, particularly related to Irradiation testing
• Provide materials engineering support for the procurement of engineered components and systems including leading technical development of suppliers to increase the technology readiness level of key components
• Inform and support the licensing process for advanced reactor core assemblies
• Program Planning & Test Design:
  • Develop and maintain an integrated irradiation testing roadmap aligned with fuel and equipment qualification needs (e.g., dose, flux spectrum, temperature, stress, environment, and PIE needs).
  • Translate design, safety, and regulatory requirements into clear, traceable test objectives and requirements for each campaign.
  • Prepare or oversee preparation of Test Requirements Documents, test plans, and technical scopes of work for national lab and international partners.
  • Lead or support selection of irradiation facilities and experiment types (e.g., capsule vs. loop, static vs. dynamic tests, instrumented vs. non-instrumented).
• Technical Oversight of Experiments:
  • Provide technical direction and oversight to national lab and reactor partners on experiment design, including:
  • Specimen geometry and material condition
  • Target dose/fluence and spectrum
  • Thermal mechanical boundary conditions and control
  • Inpile instrumentation and monitoring
  • Review and comment on partner design documents, safety basis inputs, and experiment operating procedures to ensure consistency with program requirements and QA expectations.
  • Monitor fabrication, assembly, and pre-irradiation characterization of test articles; ensure material pedigree, traceability, and configuration controls
• Execution & Partner Interface:
  • Serve as primary technical point of contact to national labs and international research reactors for assigned irradiation campaigns.
  • Coordinate schedules, milestones, and interfaces between internal design/analysis teams and external facilities.
  • Participate in technical readiness reviews, experiment readiness reviews, and facility peer reviews as required.
  • Track experiment status during irradiation; support resolution of emergent technical issues.
• Data Analysis, PIE, and Modeling Integration:
  • Define post-irradiation examination (PIE) programs and data needs in collaboration with analysis and design teams (e.g., mechanical testing, microstructural characterization, thermal physical property measurements).
  • Review test and PIE data packages; perform or coordinate engineering evaluation, trend analysis, and consistency checks against models and design assumptions.
  • Translate results into design relevant parameters, material property correlations, and uncertainty characterizations, document implications for design margins and qualification.
  • Work with materials, fuel performance, and structural analysis engineers to calibrate and validate models using irradiation and PIE data.
• Engineering Documentation & Configuration Control:
  • Produce high quality technical documentation, including test requirement documents, technical evaluations, calculation notes, and summary reports suitable for design record and licensing use.
  • Ensure test bases, assumptions, and results are traceable to source data and controlled through formal configuration management processes.
  • Contribute to or author inputs to safety analysis, equipment qualification, and licensing submittals that rely on irradiation test results.
• Nuclear Safety Culture, Quality, and Compliance:
  • Apply strong nuclear safety culture behaviors in all work, including conservatism, question asking attitude, and rigorous documentation.
  • Ensure testing programs comply with applicable QA and procedural requirements (e.g., NQA-1 based programs at labs, internal test control procedures).
  • Support audits and technical reviews of partner facilities and programs, as requested by QA and project management.

Job Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Nuclear Engineering or Materials Science.
• 15+ years of relevant experience in nuclear materials or fuel systems, including at least 10 years directly related to irradiation testing, PIE, or reactor based experiments.
• Demonstrated experience planning or executing irradiation test campaigns at national labs or research reactors (U.S. or international).
• Solid understanding of radiation damage, irradiation creep/swelling, embrittlement, and environmental effects (e.g., sodium, water, gas coolant, vacuum).
• Experience reviewing and interpreting test data, material property measurements, and PIE results, and translating them into engineering design inputs.
• Proven ability to write clear, technically rigorous reports and requirements documents.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to lead technical interactions with multidisciplinary internal teams and external partners.

Preferred Job Qualification:

• Experience with sodium-cooled advanced reactor technologies and their material environments.
• Direct experience with test programs at facilities such as ATR, HFIR, BOR-60, or similar international research reactors.
• Familiarity with nuclear QA frameworks (e.g., ASME NQA-1) and test control procedures for safety related or safety significant applications.
• Experience with material behavior modeling or fuel performance/structural analysis codes, and integrating test data to support model development and validation.
• Experience contributing to or supporting licensing and regulatory submittals where irradiation data underpins safety or qualification claims
• Travel Required: 0-5% #TerraPro

Job Details:

• Job Type: Contract
• Pay Rate Range: $84-$135/hr (Pay rates are approved based on candidate location, education and experience)
• Location: 100% Remote Acceptable
• Export control regulations require candidates to be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Legal Permanent Resident, or of a protected person status

Benefits Package: Protingent offers competitive salaries, insurance plan options (HDHP plan or POS plan), education/certification reimbursement, pre-tax commuter benefits, Paid Time Off (PTO), and an administered 401k plan.
About Protingent: Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation - from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We're passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.
Meet Your Recruiter
Magic Demirel
As a Technical Recruiter at Protingent, I am excited to leverage my diverse background in education, leadership, and technology to connect talented professionals with opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations. My experience as an accomplished classroom educator and EdTech specialist has honed my ability to understand complex skill sets and identify the right fit for various roles.
I am passionate about...
...Building meaningful relationships with both candidates and clients to ensure mutual success
...Staying ahead of industry trends and understanding the evolving needs of the tech industry
...Creating efficient, streamlined processes that enhance the recruitment experience for all parties involved
...Supporting diverse, equitable, and inclusive hiring practices to create a more inclusive workforce