Senior Licensing Engineer

Job Summary

Deep Fission is seeking a Senior Licensing Engineer to lead regulatory planning and support for its advanced reactor development under the Department of Energy (DOE) authorization framework and subsequent NRC license approval. This role will translate regulatory requirements into actionable strategies for engineering execution, support preparation of licensing deliverables, and drive engagement with DOE and NRC regulators throughout the reactor design lifecycle. 

The ideal candidate will bring a strong technical background in reactor systems or nuclear safety, paired with deep experience in DOE or NRC regulatory processes. This role demands someone who can operate confidently at the intersection of engineering design and compliance—grounded in the technical realities of reactor development while guiding the strategy to meet and shape regulatory expectations. This is a high-impact role for someone ready to push the boundaries of conventional licensing, leveraging Deep Fission's compelling safety case to drive innovation in how advanced reactors are evaluated and authorized. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead the interpretation, decomposition, and application of DOE and NRC regulatory requirements applicable to Deep Fission's reactor development program.
• Collaborate with engineering and safety teams to define the technical approach for demonstrating regulatory compliance, including development of structured compliance matrices and execution plans.
• Develop and document licensing strategies, authorization plans, and regulator engagement plans tailored to a phased DOE to NRC licensing approach.
• Coordinate technical inputs and author licensing deliverables, including safety case summaries, design basis documentation, and regulatory correspondence.
• Act as a regulatory subject matter expert in cross-functional reviews, design milestones, and strategic planning discussions.
• Lead or contribute to regulatory interactions including DOE and NRC briefings, audits, pre-application engagements, and comment resolution.
• Stay current with evolving U.S. licensing frameworks for advanced reactors and proactively identify opportunities to influence or adapt regulatory strategy accordingly.
• Support program planning, risk analysis, and configuration management related to licensing activities.
• Maintain strong familiarity with AI-enabled tools for regulatory document management, structured compliance tracking, and analysis automation.

Required Skills & Experience: 

• 8+ years of experience in nuclear reactor licensing, regulatory affairs, nuclear safety analysis, or relevant work.
• Proven experience supporting DOE reactor authorization or NRC Part 50/52 licensing with demonstrated ability to translate to DOE frameworks, with direct DOE authorization experience preferred.
• Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks relevant to advanced reactor designs.
• Experience translating engineering requirements into actionable regulatory deliverables.
• Strong technical writing skills and familiarity with the structure and expectations of licensing documents and correspondence.
• Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field, or commensurate experience
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• S. citizenship required. Must be able to meet Export Control requirements under 10 CFR 810.

Desired Skills & Experience: 

• Experience with DOE Order 420.1C, 10 CFR 830, or equivalent high-consequence nuclear safety standards.
• Experience developing materials associated with 10 CFR Parts 50 or 52
• Background in reactor systems design, safety analysis, or engineering configuration management.
• Familiarity with modern tools for regulatory documentation, requirements management, and AI-supported workflow automation.
• Prior experience supporting first-of-a-kind or advanced reactor technologies.
• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Nuclear Engineering, Law, or Public Policy.

Key Competencies: 

• Technical-Risk Awareness – Understands where design choices intersect with licensing risk and develops plans accordingly.
• Execution Focus – Drives measurable progress on licensing products in collaboration with engineering and QA teams.
• Innovation-Driven – Seeks opportunity to streamline, modernize, and advance regulatory processes using digital tools and a compelling safety narrative.
• Technical-Regulatory Integration – Strong engineering foundation with the ability to interpret, apply, and strategically respond to regulatory requirements within a complex technical program.
• Strategic Licensing Vision – Capable of shaping forward-looking licensing plans that reflect novel technologies and leverage Deep Fission's enhanced safety case.
• Regulatory Fluency – Speaks the language of DOE and NRC and brings confidence in written and verbal engagement with regulators.