Molten Salt Research Reactor Director

About the role

The Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing (NEXT) Lab at Abilene Christian University (ACU) is a world leader in molten salt reactor technology and is building a reactor on site. It seeks a Reactor Director to lead, learn and explore molten salt reactor technologies with a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers, overseeing and coordinating technical reactor operations. The ideal candidate would also qualify as a faculty member in the Onstead College of Science and Engineering. ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ and requires the employee to be a professing Christian willing to support its Christian mission.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the safe, secure and efficient operation of the Molten Salt Research Reactor, including operations, regulatory compliance, personnel management, research coordination and strategic planning.
• Operate the reactor according to NRC/DOE licenses and approved procedures, monitoring systems and instrumentation during operation.
• Maintain an active NRC Senior Reactor Operator license and ensure operations comply with technical specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Train and mentor reactor operators and student operators, and evaluate their performance.
• Support the setup and execution of approved experiments within safety and licensing limits.
• Take part in safety drills and emergency preparedness exercises, enforce safety protocols and serve as shift leader during emergencies.
• Keep accurate reactor logs, operating records and NRC/DOE reports, and maintain operator training and qualification records.
• Identify issues affecting reliability or efficiency, support maintenance and take part in continuous improvement initiatives.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics or a related field; a master's or doctoral degree is required for a dual faculty appointment.
• NRC Senior Reactor Operator license (or eligibility to obtain it).
• 3-5 years of reactor operations experience in a research or commercial environment.
• Proven experience leading multi-disciplinary teams, managing external contractors and mentoring reactor operators.
• Experience in academic or research institutions preferred.
• Willingness to live in the Abilene area and to commit to nuclear safety and compliance.
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds regularly and stand for 1 hour or more.

Required skills

• Strong technical knowledge of reactor systems and operations.
• Ability to lead teams under normal and emergency conditions.
• Attention to detail in recordkeeping and compliance.
• Effective communication and mentoring skills.