Remote - Principal Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment Engineer

Talascend is currently seeking a Principal Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment Engineer for a Remote long-term contract opportunity.

OVERVIEW: 

The Principal Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment (SPRA) Engineer reports directly to the Integrated Plant and Structures (IPS) Seismic Integration Manager. The Principal SPRA Engineer will work as part of the Natrium Seismic Integration Team and provide oversight to the Risk Assessment team and is responsible for oversight of the SPRA and severe accident analysis for the Natrium reactor design. The Principal SPRA Engineer is primarily responsible for directing, overseeing, and accepting SPRA work products performed in coordination with the Internal Events PRA team, deterministic safety analysis, fragility, and other design engineering disciplines/groups to design a reliable and safe plant under a risk-informed, performance-based licensing framework.

Other engineering activities include, but are not limited to, contributing to the development of SPRA methodologies and models to support a Risk Informed, Performance Based approach to seismic design and licensing, support the  development of processes for risk integration with design work under design control, support evaluation of seismic induced fire and flood accident sequences, participating in hazard analysis working groups, participating in Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) exercises, and supporting Structures, Systems, and Components (SSC) classification, Licensing Basis Events (LBE) selection, and Defense-in-Depth (DID) Evaluations. The Principal PRA Engineer will be expected to interact with people from a wide range of engineering disciplines to support the development of risk models and the position requires effective written and verbal communication skills.

This position requires an understanding of SPRA principles and familiarity with the ASME/ANS PRA standard and the Licensing Modernization Project (LMP). Direct knowledge related to sodium fast reactor technology is preferred but may be acquired via in-house training workshops and interactions with client staff.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Manage SPRA work performed by the client's vendors in coordination with risk assessment teams, plant design, deterministic safety analysis, and other engineering disciplines.
• Ensure that the SPRA is appropriate to support plant design and licensing and within regulatory requirements, guidance, and standards such as risk-informed performance-based technology guidance for Non-Light Water Reactors (RG 1.233 and NEI 18-04) and ASME/ANS Non-Light Water PRA standard.
• Lead the development of planning and schedule for SPRA related activities.
• Provide technical guidance to engineers and managers on reliability and various SPRA-related topics.
• Participate in SPRA peer reviews.
• Review and support the development of event and fault trees for SPRA models to support frequency and consequence analysis under LMP.
• Review and support the development of seismic induced accident sequences.
• Work with an interdisciplinary team of engineers to establish core and reactor SSC functional, reliability, performance, safety, and quality requirements as well as support the overall design.
• Establish and maintain documentation of model development and analysis results.
• Perform engineering reviews of analyses and other engineering design media.
• Perform risk integration using the PRA model to report risk metrics and importance measures.
• Perform focused PRA analysis to support trade studies.
• Perform hand calculations using first principles to assess and validate more complex models for system performance, containment performance, and radiological consequences.
• Prepare topical reports describing PRA methods and analytical results for customers and regulators.
• Deliver presentations for internal management and external customers and regulators.

• B.S., M.S., or PhD in nuclear, mechanical, electrical, or aerospace engineering (or similar).
• Fifteen years or more of experience in Probabilistic Risk Assessment.
• In-depth knowledge on PRA principles and the ASME/ANS Non-Light Water PRA standard.
• In-depth knowledge on risk-informed performance-based regulations and applications, such as NEI 18-04 or 10 CFR 50.69.
• In-depth knowledge of PRA fundamentals in data, human reliability, accident analysis, severe accidents, and source terms assessments.
• Experience with PRA software: FRANX in particular; CAFTA, SAPHIRE, Risk Spectrum, or other similar software still considered valuable.
• Experience with performing assessments using codes such as GOTHIC, MELCOR, RADTRAD, or similar tools is a plus.
• Demonstrated technical writing and communication skills.
• Experience with sodium cooled reactors or other advanced reactors preferred.
• Fluent in spoken and written English language.
• A broad understanding of the various engineering disciplines and how they interrelate in the design of a Nuclear Power Plant.
• High degree of trust, integrity, open communication, respect for others, and teamwork.