Senior Licensing Engineer

Join our team to help meet current and future challenges to build the clean energy world of tomorrow. By joining the Orano Group, you will be a part of a leading international player in the nuclear industry. 

Our strengths? Across the entire fuel cycle, we have extensive expertise in cutting-edge technologies, safe, high value-added products and services, and a strong capacity for innovation. Step into a career-defining opportunity with Orano USA, a global leader in nuclear innovation, as we launch Project IKE, a cutting-edge uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

OVERVIEW

We are seeking a skilled Senior Licensing Engineer to join our innovative team on Project IKE. As the Senior Licensing Engineer, you’ll work on complex engineering assignments in electrical power, instrumentation, and controls. You'll contribute to developing network architecture and design, developing software interfaces, and providing crucial project operations support. 

The Licensing organization plays a critical role throughout the life of the project, from licensing strategy and regulatory engagement, through construction and commissioning, and ultimately into facility operations. The organization is responsible for maintaining a strong relationship with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), ensuring regulatory compliance, and developing the project's licensing basis as the design matures and the facility transitions into operation.

Position Summary

The Senior Licensing Engineer serves as the deputy to the Licensing Manager and is a senior member of the Project IKE Licensing organization. The successful candidate will play a leadership role in all licensing and regulatory activities throughout the project lifecycle. This position requires strong technical judgment, systems thinking, and the ability to integrate information across a broad range of engineering disciplines while effectively interacting with regulators, executive leadership, project management, and technical organizations.

Primary Responsibilities

Phase 1 – NRC License Application Review

During the NRC review period, the Senior Licensing Engineer will support the Licensing Manager in leading all regulatory interactions associated with the review of the License Application.

Responsibilities include:

• Serve as one of the primary technical interfaces between Project IKE and the NRC. 
• Coordinate preparation and execution of NRC technical meetings, management meetings, audits, inspections, and public meetings. 
• Lead preparation of Requests for Additional Information (RAI) responses. 
• Coordinate technical inputs from engineering organizations to ensure responses are technically sound, complete, and consistent. 
• Track NRC review activities, action items, commitments, and correspondence. 
• Develop executive briefing materials for project leadership. 
• Ensure regulatory commitments are accurately captured and communicated across the project. 
• Support preparation of licensing supplements and updates requested by the NRC. 
• Monitor licensing schedule performance and identify regulatory risks requiring management attention. 

Phase 2 – Post-License Approval

Following NRC approval of the License Application, the Senior Licensing Engineer will continue supporting the project through detailed design, construction, commissioning, startup, and transition to operations.

Responsibilities include:

Licensing Basis Management

• Maintain and develop the approved licensing basis throughout the project lifecycle. 
• Evaluate proposed design changes for licensing impacts. 
• Coordinate licensing evaluations supporting engineering change packages. 
• Ensure design evolution remains consistent with NRC-approved commitments. 

License Amendments

• Prepare and coordinate license amendment requests. 
• Support NRC review of amendments and associated technical documentation. 
• Coordinate responses to NRC questions during amendment reviews. 

Construction and Commissioning Support

• Support NRC inspections conducted during construction. 
• Assist engineering organizations in resolving regulatory issues identified during construction. 
• Support development of licensing documentation required for commissioning and startup. 
• Coordinate regulatory activities associated with operational readiness. 

Regulatory Compliance

• Monitor compliance with license conditions and regulatory commitments. 
• Support implementation of corrective actions resulting from NRC findings. 
• Coordinate responses to NRC inspection reports and regulatory correspondence. 
• Maintain regulatory commitment tracking systems. 

Regulatory Strategy

• Support long-term licensing strategy as the facility evolves. 
• Monitor changes to NRC regulations and industry guidance. 
• Evaluate regulatory impacts of future plant modifications and capacity expansions. 
• Support licensing strategy for future operational improvements. 

Leadership Responsibilities

The Senior Licensing Engineer will act as the deputy to the Licensing Manager by:

• Representing the Licensing Manager during meetings when required. 
• Coordinating day-to-day licensing activities. 
• Mentoring junior licensing engineers. 
• Driving cross-functional resolution of licensing issues. 
• Building productive long-term relationships with NRC staff and other regulatory stakeholders. 
• Promoting a strong regulatory compliance culture across the project.

• Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering or a related engineering discipline. 
• Minimum 10 years of experience in commercial nuclear licensing, nuclear engineering, or nuclear regulatory affairs. 
• Demonstrated experience interacting directly with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 
• Strong knowledge of: 
  • 10 CFR regulations 
  • NRC licensing processes 
  • Nuclear safety analysis 
  • Regulatory documentation 
  • Configuration management 
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills. 
• Ability to travel frequently between Oak Ridge and NRC Headquarters. 

Preferred

• Experience supporting NRC review of major license applications. 
• Experience with uranium enrichment or fuel cycle facilities licensed under 10 CFR Part 70. 
• Experience supporting NRC inspections and audits. 
• Experience managing licensing basis documents. 
• Experience preparing License Amendment Requests (LARs). 
• Experience supporting construction and commissioning of nuclear facilities. 

Desired Competencies

• Excellent systems thinking and technical integration skills. 
• Strong project management and organizational abilities. 
• Outstanding written and verbal communication. 
• Ability to influence multidisciplinary organizations. 
• Strategic thinking balanced with attention to technical detail. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to work effectively under schedule pressure while maintaining regulatory quality. 
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build consensus among diverse technical organizations.