I&C System Design Lead

Talascend is currently seeking an I&C System Design Lead for a contract opportunity located in Bellevue, WA.

OVERVIEW: 

Our client is seeking to contract a highly motivated I&C System Design Lead. This position reports directly to the I&C Safety System Design Manager. In this role, you will act as a Technical Lead I&C Engineer for Sodium Fast Reactor technologies, including responsibility for the instrument and control system design, prototype development and testing, plant level system integration, and commissioning.  Your role will include interfacing with a team of scientists and engineers internal and external to the client. You will also identify, specify, and integrate custom instrumentation with advanced control systems for Generation IV advanced nuclear reactor technologies.

The I&C System Design Lead will support the I&C Safety System Design Manager with coordination scope, schedule, and technical integration for safety systems. They will also support cross functional collaboration with procurement, licensing, safety analysis, and PRA.

The Instrumentation and Control team is responsible for the plant I&C design and oversight of key I&C development. I&C System Design Lead will work with the plant design oversight teams to support communication, identify and work through roadblocks, and align design details, and project execution strategies.

The I&C System Design Lead will work as part of a high performing team of engineers.

However, the role doesn’t assume people management responsibilities such as leading full-time client employees nor performing any supervisory role for contractors.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Responsible for interfacing and supporting geographically diverse and international design team members to develop supporting design documentation. The design team members include in-house and subcontracted resources and may include partner/customer resources as well.
• Lead design of I&C systems and sub-system functional requirements through final design.
• Provide direction to team members and assist the I&C Safety System Design Manager with oversight of team members and suppliers.
• Develop and review system- and component-level specifications and scopes of work.
• Perform engineering and design evaluations in the application of nuclear codes and standards, licensing requirements, and NRC regulations.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to engineers in applicable nuclear and non-nuclear related design standards.
• Specify and describe suitability of instrumentation measurement techniques for use in sodium fast reactor and integrated energy storage technologies, including analysis of measurement range, response time, and measurement accuracy.
• Analyze and apply regulatory criteria and standards to complex Instrumentation and Control system design.
• Develop and review technical design documents, such as System Requirements Documents, System Design Descriptions, Interface Control Documents, Engineering Design Specifications, etc.
• Create and manage drawing packages of system and sub-system designs, including but not limited to P&IDs, control system architecture drawings, control logic and loop diagrams, and instrument installation drawings, etc.
• Generate integrated design package for key systems and sub-systems.
• Provide technical direction and oversight of supplier projects, working with the contract administrator to ensure delivery of data and other deliverables to meet requirements, as well as coordination and performance of technical reviews of deliverables.
• Support continuous learning and application of nuclear industry best practices in order to maintain the highest quality of engineering design and proactively identify process change/enhancement opportunities.
• Integrate I&C with work of other disciplines, engineers, scientists, and subject matter experts.
• Interface with and support licensing activities associated with Safety Analysis Reports.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS: 

• B.S. or higher in Controls, Electrical, or related discipline from an accredited university and 18+ years direct experience with proven instrumentation and controls systems skills. Higher education will count toward years of experience.
• Candidates must have experience in instrumentation and controls development, diagnostics, and implementation with a demonstrated ability to design and deliver industrial I&C platforms.
• Previous experience with nuclear reactor safety systems or nuclear instrumentation systems design.
• Familiar with IEEE 379, IEEE 603, IEEE 7-4.3.2, IEEE 497 and IEEE1012, desired but not required.
• Familiarity with implementing design control and development in accordance with nuclear power plant quality assurance (e.g. 10 CFR 50 Appendix B, ASME NQA-1).
• Experience designing and operating high-temperature (400°C and higher) processes desired but not required.
• Ability to handle projects that include many competing objectives and design constraints, with ability to resolve conflicts between objectives.
• Familiarity with working with and/or developing industrial process flow diagrams (PFD) and piping & instrument diagrams (P&ID) desired but not required.
• Experience with CAD software to deliver design deliverables (e.g. AutoCAD Standard, AutoCAD Electrical, or SolidWorks), desired but not required.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Attention to detail and aspiration for technical excellence.
• Candidate must be a self-starter and possess ability to coordinate and lead a design team’s effort with minimal direction.
• Ability to work on multiple simultaneous tasks that require a multi-disciplinary approach.
• Experience with formal I&C system startup testing procedure desired but not required.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork. Will actively support the guiding principles.
• Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications.
• Two (2) or more years of experience in one or more of the following is desired:
• Radiation Monitoring
• High Temperature Sensor Design and Instrumentation
• Seismic Detection and Trip Systems
• Neutron detectors
• Reactor Protection System
• Setpoint and uncertainty analysis
• Post Accident Monitoring

JOB FUNCTIONS: 

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position.  These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation.  Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations.  An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

• Motor Abilities: Sitting and/or standing for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds
• Repetitive work: Prolonged
• Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work
• Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hrs./day
• Travel required: 0-5%