Plant Systems Engineer – Nuclear Operations
Salary: $125,000 - 156,000 depending on experience
Location: Portsmouth, OH DUF6 Conversion Project
Schedule: Full-Time | Exempt
Work on One of the Most Unique Engineering Missions in the Country
The Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DUF6) Conversion Project, operated for the U.S. Department of Energy, is responsible for converting thousands of cylinders of legacy uranium hexafluoride into stable materials suitable for long-term storage and beneficial reuse.
This is large-scale industrial engineering in a nuclear environment, where plant systems, process reliability, and safety engineering intersect every day.
Engineers on this project support complex operational systems used in chemical conversion, material handling, industrial ventilation, thermal processing, and plant control systems.
For engineers who enjoy working on challenging industrial systems and solving real operational problems, this role offers a rare opportunity to contribute to one of the Department of Energy’s most significant environmental cleanup missions.
Why Engineers Choose the DUF6 Project
Engineers here gain hands-on experience with complex industrial systems that are rarely seen outside the nuclear sector.
You will work with:
- Chemical processing and conversion systems
- Large-scale thermal treatment equipment
- Mechanical and electrical plant systems
- Industrial ventilation and filtration systems
- Process automation and control systems
- Nuclear safety systems and engineered safety controls
This role provides direct involvement with plant operations, system configuration management, reliability improvement, and nuclear safety integration.
Engineers frequently become the technical authority for major plant systems, working closely with operations leadership, maintenance teams, and nuclear safety professionals.
Position Overview
Under limited supervision, the Plant Systems Engineer performs engineering and technical work supporting safe and reliable plant operations at the DUF6 conversion facility.
The engineer is responsible for maintaining system configuration, ensuring operational readiness, supporting plant troubleshooting, and coordinating system improvements for assigned systems, structures, and components (SSCs).
This position serves as a key technical interface between engineering, operations, maintenance, and nuclear safety teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Develops and defines required surveillances, including performance frequency and required start date, in conjunction with the Nuclear Safety Manager
- Directs the maintenance of training and qualifications on assigned systems
- Identifies, manages, and controls the safety bases and configuration of assigned systems, structures, and components (SSCs)
- Reviews and approves work on assigned systems
- Utilizes a graded approach in system and component design
- Ensures continued operational readiness of assigned systems
- Plans, develops, and coordinates implementation of design changes
- Identifies and implements improvements/modifications as necessary
- Establishes a list of potential suppliers of parts, and a spare parts minimum/maximum inventory for SSCs in assigned systems
- Tracks and trends equipment failures for assigned systems
- Determines critical design characteristics (CDCs) of equipment in assigned systems
- Interfaces with operations management and provides periodic reports on the effectiveness of the maintenance program
- Interfaces with other disciplines, site personnel, and/or external organizations to meet project requirements
- Assists with system/component troubleshooting
- Provides technical support to control room operations and plant operations
- Serves as a Subject-Matter Expert (SME) for system operation
Engineers from Adjacent Industries Are Encouraged to Apply
Nuclear experience is valuable, but engineers from other complex industrial environments often transition successfully into this role.
Engineers with experience in the following industries frequently succeed on this project:
- Power generation facilities
- Chemical processing plants
- Petrochemical or refinery operations
- Large manufacturing facilities
- Industrial utilities or process plants
- Highly regulated industrial environments
Experience supporting plant operations, system troubleshooting, reliability engineering, maintenance coordination, or industrial process systems is highly transferable.
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