Thermal-Hydraulics / Safety Analysis Lead (SMR / MMR Programs)

BaRupOn LLC • Irvine, CA

1d

About The Position

BaRupOn LLC is seeking a highly experienced Thermal-Hydraulics / Safety Analysis Lead to own the thermal-hydraulic modeling, reactor safety analysis, and related licensing activities for its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) programs in the United States.
This is a senior technical leadership role within BaRupOn’s engineering organization. The Thermal-Hydraulics Lead will be responsible for the full scope of thermal-hydraulic and safety analysis work — from system-level code development and transient modeling through accident analysis, safety margin evaluation, and NRC regulatory submissions. The role requires close coordination with reactor physicists, mechanical engineers, system designers, and the licensing team to ensure all designs are safe, analytically sound, and fully compliant with applicable U.S. NRC requirements.
The ideal candidate brings deep hands-on experience with thermal-hydraulic codes and safety analysis for advanced or light-water reactor systems, a strong command of U.S. nuclear regulatory frameworks, and the technical leadership ability to guide and develop a growing engineering team.

Requirements

• Master’s or PhD in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with a focus on thermal-hydraulics or reactor safety.
• 7+ years of experience in nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics and safety analysis within the U.S. nuclear industry.
• Demonstrated, hands-on proficiency with system-level thermal-hydraulic codes: RELAP5, TRACE, CATHARE, STAR-CCM+, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of NRC regulatory requirements and licensing processes, including 10 CFR Part 50 and Part 52 safety analysis requirements.
• Proven experience performing transient, accident, and safety margin analyses for light-water reactors (LWRs) or advanced reactor designs.
• Experience developing, validating, and defending computational thermal-hydraulic models for regulatory purposes.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and technical communication skills, including the ability to author and review safety analysis reports and licensing submittals.

Nice To Haves

• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Nuclear or Mechanical Engineering – preferred.
• Experience with SMRs, advanced reactors, or non-light water reactor concepts such as molten salt or gas-cooled designs.
• Familiarity with probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), uncertainty quantification (UQ), and verification and validation (V&V) processes.
• Hands-on experience with experimental thermal-hydraulic facilities or separate-effects testing programs.
• NRC training or direct experience in reactor safety analysis and licensing interactions.
• Active membership in recognized nuclear professional organizations, such as the American Nuclear Society (ANS).
• Leadership experience in cross-functional or multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead thermal-hydraulic modeling and comprehensive reactor safety analyses for BaRupOn’s SMR and advanced reactor designs throughout all phases of development.
• Perform accident and transient analyses in accordance with NRC guidance, including design basis accident (DBA) analyses and beyond-design-basis evaluations, in compliance with 10 CFR Part 50 and Part 52.
• Develop, validate, and maintain thermal-hydraulic codes and computational models using RELAP5, TRACE, CATHARE, STAR-CCM+, or equivalent system-level codes.
• Evaluate safety margins across the full range of operating, transient, and postulated accident conditions, ensuring all regulatory limits and acceptance criteria are met.
• Identify potential thermal-hydraulic risks in proposed designs and recommend engineering or procedural mitigations.
• Prepare, review, and defend safety analysis reports (SAR/FSAR), licensing documentation, and technical submittals to the NRC related to thermal-hydraulics and safety analysis.
• Respond to NRC requests for additional information (RAIs) on thermal-hydraulic and safety analysis matters.
• Support probabilistic risk assessments (PRA), uncertainty quantification studies, and verification and validation (V&V) efforts for analytical methods and codes.
• Monitor NRC regulatory developments and assess impacts on BaRupOn’s thermal-hydraulic methodology and safety case strategy.
• Coordinate with reactor physicists, mechanical and structural engineers, and system designers to ensure integrated and coherent reactor safety analyses across all disciplines.
• Evaluate vendor analyses, simulation results, and experimental data for safety compliance and methodology adequacy.
• Provide thermal-hydraulic input to the licensing team to support NRC pre-application engagement and formal design certification activities.
• Partner with project management to identify schedule dependencies, technical risks, and resource needs tied to safety analysis milestones.
• Mentor and provide hands-on technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers on thermal-hydraulic analysis methods, code usage, and safety documentation standards.
• Establish and maintain team methodologies, code validation protocols, and quality assurance processes for all safety analysis work products.
• Represent BaRupOn in technical forums, industry working groups, and national laboratory collaborations related to reactor safety analysis and thermal-hydraulics.

Benefits

• Take technical ownership of safety analysis for one of the most ambitious SMR/MMR programs in the U.S. — built from the ground up with a safety-first culture.
• Work directly with the CTO, CNO, and licensing leadership with real authority over thermal-hydraulic methodology and safety analysis direction.
• Competitive compensation and benefits, including potential equity participation tied to program milestones.
• Collaborate with top-tier engineers, national laboratory partners, and federal program stakeholders at the frontier of advanced nuclear energy.
• A mission-driven environment where your expertise directly shapes reactor design, safety case development, and NRC licensing outcomes.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees