Nuclear Engineering Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

Role Summary

BaRupOn LLC is seeking an accomplished Head of Engineering to lead and integrate all engineering disciplines across its Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) programs in the United States.

This is an executive-level engineering leadership role with broad technical authority. The Head of Engineering will be responsible for the coherence and quality of all engineering work across mechanical, nuclear, electrical, instrumentation & control (I&C), and systems engineering functions - from initial design through system validation, licensing support, and deployment. The role demands a leader who can drive technical rigor and cross-disciplinary integration while navigating the regulatory complexity of the U.S. nuclear industry.

The ideal candidate brings extensive multidisciplinary engineering experience in the U.S. nuclear sector, a proven track record leading complex advanced reactor or SMR programs, and the executive presence to represent BaRupOn's engineering organization internally and externally. This person will work in close partnership with the CTO, CNO, Director of Licensing, and project leadership to ensure every engineering deliverable is technically sound, schedule-aware, and fully aligned with NRC requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership & Integration

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams across mechanical, nuclear, electrical, I&C, and systems engineering to ensure seamless design integration across all reactor systems.
• Establish and own the engineering governance framework: design control procedures, review and approval workflows, configuration management practices, and interface management between disciplines.
• Drive technical decision-making across all engineering functions, resolving cross-disciplinary conflicts and ensuring consistent application of safety and quality standards.
• Set and maintain a high bar for engineering quality, analytical rigor, and documentation standards across all teams.

Reactor Design, Validation & Licensing Support

• Oversee end-to-end engineering design, system validation, and integration analyses required to support NRC licensing applications, design certifications, and safety case development.
• Ensure all engineering designs comply with applicable U.S. nuclear regulations, codes, and standards, including 10 CFR Part 50, Part 52, Part 53, ASME, and IEEE.
• Partner with the Director of Licensing & Regulatory Affairs and the CTO to provide engineering inputs to Safety Analysis Reports (SAR/FSAR), technical specifications, and NRC submittals.
• Lead engineering responses to NRC requests for additional information (RAIs) affecting design, systems integration, or cross-disciplinary analyses.

Program Execution & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with licensing, operations, and project management teams to ensure engineering milestones align with overall program schedules and regulatory approval timelines.
• Identify and proactively manage engineering risks, schedule dependencies, and resource constraints that could impact program delivery.
• Evaluate vendor designs, subcontractor analyses, and third-party engineering deliverables for technical adequacy and regulatory compliance.
• Represent BaRupOn's engineering organization in technical forums, industry working groups, national laboratory collaborations, and interactions with federal agencies.

Team Development & Talent Strategy

• Mentor, develop, and retain top engineering talent across all disciplines, building a high-performing organization capable of scaling with BaRupOn's growing program portfolio.
• Define team structures, hiring plans, and competency frameworks for each engineering discipline in alignment with program needs and budget.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, safety consciousness, and collaborative problem-solving across the engineering organization.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• 12-20 years of progressive engineering experience within the U.S. nuclear industry, including significant time in senior or executive engineering leadership roles.
• Proven experience leading complex, multidisciplinary engineering programs for SMRs, MMRs, advanced reactors, or large-scale nuclear facilities.
• Deep working knowledge of U.S. nuclear regulatory frameworks and design standards, including 10 CFR Part 50, Part 52, Part 53, ASME Codes, and IEEE standards.
• Demonstrated ability to manage large, cross-functional engineering organizations in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment.
• Strong background in systems integration, design verification and validation, and engineering configuration management.
• Executive-level communication skills, including the ability to represent the engineering organization to regulators, partners, and company leadership.

Preferred Skills & Certifications

• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the U.S. - strongly preferred.
• Direct experience with NRC licensing processes, pre-application engagement, and regulatory interactions.
• Familiarity with advanced reactor technologies, modular construction approaches, and digital engineering tools.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification - preferred.
• Active membership in recognized U.S. nuclear professional organizations, such as the American Nuclear Society (ANS).
• Experience managing engineering organizations through major program milestones such as design certification, construction authorization, or first-of-a-kind deployment.

Why Join BaRupOn LLC

• Lead the full engineering organization for one of the most ambitious SMR/MMR programs in the U.S. - with founding-level authority to shape how the team is built and how work gets done.
• Direct partnership with the CNO, CTO, and executive leadership team with no bureaucratic layers between engineering decisions and program direction.
• Competitive executive compensation and benefits, including equity participation tied to program and company milestones.
• Collaborate with top-tier technical talent, national laboratory partners, and federal program stakeholders at the frontier of U.S. nuclear energy.
• A mission-driven company where engineering excellence, safety culture, and innovation are not competing priorities - they are the same priority.

Equal Opportunity Statement

BaRupOn LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.