Radioactive Waste Handling Engineer
The Radioactive Waste Handling Engineer at Oklo is responsible for designing and implementing compliant, safe, and effective shipping and storage solutions for nuclear materials ranging from byproduct to Class A through high-level waste (HLW) items. This role plays a critical part in ensuring regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and technical rigor in nuclear waste management. The position is based in Santa Clara, CA, with options for remote work, and requires collaboration with internal teams, regulators, and external partners to oversee waste storage programs for the Oklo Fuel Recycling Team.
Key responsibilities include designing, analyzing, and implementing waste storage systems and packaging that comply with NRC regulations and industry standards. The engineer will manage contracts with licensed disposal facilities, transporters, and shippers to ensure safe and compliant waste disposition. Specific tasks involve performing engineering analyses of waste package performance, collaborating cross-functionally to integrate waste storage requirements into facility designs, facilitating the design of storage facilities to ensure regulatory compliance, and developing documentation to support licensing and regulatory reviews.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience and a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering, environmental engineering, or a related field. Experience conducting engineering analyses related to nuclear systems or waste management is essential. Preferred qualifications include knowledge of and experience in applying 10 CFR Part 71 requirements, familiarity with waste incidental to reprocessing, a background in environmental compliance and permitting, and experience interfacing with regulatory authorities such as the NRC and EPA.
Oklo offers a competitive compensation package, including a salary range of $100,000 to $190,000, flexible time off, equity, 401(k), health insurance, FSA, and flexible work hours. Remote employees are required to travel to headquarters in Santa Clara, CA, twice a quarter annually for business or team needs, including attendance at team meetings, off-sites, and other company events or gatherings.
Oklo is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale, establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes, and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. The company was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant and is developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.