NEXT Lab Chief Engineer

About the role

Abilene Christian University is hiring a Chief Engineer for its NEXT Lab, a nuclear research facility. The position involves technical oversight of reactor systems, coordination with engineering, regulatory and project management teams, and ensuring safety and compliance. Applicants must be professing Christians and willing to support the university's Christian mission.

Key responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight and independent review of reactor system design, licensing, construction, maintenance of the degradation management plan and ASME certifications
• Evaluate design documents, engineering calculations and system specifications against project goals and regulatory standards, and give feedback on constructability, maintainability and operability
• Review contractor submittals, test plans and analysis results for safety and performance consistency
• Coordinate across engineering, regulatory and project management teams, act as liaison between owner, contractors and regulators, and attend project review meetings
• Maintain documentation of technical decisions, design changes and risk assessments
• Monitor quality assurance and safety programs, verify compliance with codes, standards and licensing requirements, and support readiness reviews, inspections and audits

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Nuclear, Mechanical, Chemical or Systems Engineering (master's preferred); a master's or doctorate required for a dual faculty appointment
• 10+ years of experience in reactor design, construction or oversight, or similar experience in an adjacent field; experience with advanced reactor technologies preferred
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or eligibility strongly preferred
• Physical ability to lift 50 pounds and stand for 1 hour or more

Required skills

• Background in nuclear, mechanical or chemical engineering with emphasis on high-temperature systems or reactor technologies
• Technical review, risk assessment and project management in regulated environments
• Proficiency in grant applications
• Excellent communication and documentation skills