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Salary: USD 160,000 - 230,000 / annual
General Matter is building the world's lowest-cost uranium enrichment services in the United States to restore America's ability to produce nuclear fuel for advanced reactors, AI infrastructure, and critical industries. The company was incubated by Founders Fund and is backed by top-tier investors.
As Lead Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer, you will build and lead the criticality safety program for a Part 70 fuel cycle facility from the ground up. Your criticality safety evaluations (CSEs) will be foundational inputs into the Integrated Safety Analysis (ISA), meaning the double-contingency approach, methodology, and technical judgment you establish will shape facility operations for decades. This is a rare opportunity to set criticality safety strategy for a next-generation enrichment facility rather than inherit one, with direct influence on licensing and operational timelines.
Key responsibilities include:
- Own the criticality safety program end-to-end: set methodology, double-contingency strategy, and technical direction for the site
- Develop and maintain nuclear criticality safety evaluations (CSEs) for processes involving fissile materials and ensure correct integration into the ISA
- Perform criticality safety analyses using computational methods (SCALE, MCNP) to assess system safety and regulatory compliance
- Serve as primary technical point of contact on criticality safety matters during NRC licensing interactions, amendments, and inspections
- Ensure compliance with NRC, DOE, and ANSI/ANS criticality safety standards, translating DOE methodologies into NRC regulatory framework
- Mentor and provide technical review for other criticality safety engineers as the team grows
- Conduct audits, inspections, and reviews of facility operations to identify and mitigate criticality safety risks
- Collaborate with engineering, operations, and regulatory teams to implement safety measures
- Provide technical guidance and training to personnel on criticality safety principles and procedures
- Investigate criticality safety incidents and develop corrective actions
- Maintain accurate documentation and records to support audits and regulatory reviews
The role requires extended hours and weekend work as necessary.
REQUIREMENTS:
Basic Qualifications:
- Evidence of exceptional ability (prior projects, portfolio of work, completed products)
- 8+ years of nuclear criticality safety experience, including direct authorship of criticality safety evaluations at a DOE or NRC-licensed facility
- Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or related field
- Strong knowledge of criticality safety regulations, standards, and methodologies (10 CFR Part 70, ANSI/ANS-8 series), with ability to bridge DOE and NRC frameworks
- Proficiency in computational tools such as SCALE, MCNP, or similar software
- Ability to perform trade studies and make clear recommendations using first principles and engineering fundamentals
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to convey technical information to regulators, operators, and leadership
- Ability to obtain and maintain required security clearance and access authorization
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Direct experience standing up or significantly revising a criticality safety program at an NRC-licensed Part 70 facility
- DOE weapons complex or national laboratory experience (Y-12, Savannah River, Los Alamos, Pantex, Idaho National Laboratory) with demonstrated ability to translate into NRC licensing context
- Certification as a Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer (ANSI/ANS-8.24)
- Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain one
- Advanced degree in Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or related field
- Experience in fast-paced engineering environment or highly technical role requiring resourceful, entrepreneurial approach within tight timeframes or budget constraints
