Demo

Design Engineer

Energy Northwest
Richland, WA Full Time
POSTED ON 5/6/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/3/2026

JOB OVERVIEW


Extended Power Uprate (EPU) is an approximately $700 million project that will increase the station’s electrical output by 162 megawatts in 2031. Columbia Generating Station is the region’s third largest generating resource and only operating nuclear energy plant. EPU involves approximately 30 individual upgrades, which primarily coincide with biennial refueling outages. For more information about EPU please see: Energy Northwest, BPA Advance Plan to Expand Region's Nuclear Power


This position, in Design Engineering at Columbia Generating Station, will assist the team as a responsible engineer to complete modifications, evaluations and provide general engineering support to the EPU project and subprojects. As a Responsible Engineer you will work with internal and external stakeholders and contractors to provide engineering support and oversight for the projects.


This posting is for multiple openings at all experience levels, including new to nuclear. Engineers with experience in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or I&C are encouraged to apply.


GENERAL SUMMARY


Provide independent engineering service and support to perform highly complex engineering tasks requiring specialized skills and broad experience in the application of engineering fundamentals in support of the design modification, operating, and independent assessment of Energy Northwest facilities. Serve as an advisor to others.


PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

  • Perform highly complex engineering analyses and designs in support of operations, systems, programs, audit inspections, and assessments requiring skills and experience gained through application of engineering methods and analysis, codes, standards, and regulatory requirements.
  • Work with minimal supervision.
  • Serve as an advisor providing advice and counsel on assignments concerned with specialized or unique engineering requirements. Solutions provided involve unconventional or innovative problem solving techniques.
  • Provide technical leadership and training on highly complex or extended projects.
  • Provide leadership of small groups to resolve complex issues.
  • Provide technical direction and leadership routinely to other engineers; serve as a mentor. Provide training to others.
  • Identify need and initiate development of new policies, programs, plans, and procedures to meet strategic objectives.
  • Assure compliance with regulatory and industry guidance. Provide interpretation of industry guidance for application.
  • Identify potential problems in design, quality, or operation and initiate corrective action


Engineering employees are expected to be available and to support the following activities as a condition of employment with Energy Northwest:

  • Emergency Response Organization (ERO) including being on-call (24/7) during your required team duty (2 weeks out of every 8 weeks).
  • 12-hour work shifts during outages as part of our overall Outage support (24/7)
  • Engineering duty cycle support (24/7) including call-out availability during your responsible duty assignment. (This is a shared responsibility across all engineering positions).


REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE


Engineer Principal

Requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university and seven years of engineering experience; OR a high school diploma or GED and PE license obtained by accredited examination plus eight years of engineering experience.


Engineer Senior

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an accredited college or university and three years of discipline specific engineering experience; OR a PE license obtained by an accredited examination and five years of discipline specific engineering experience. High school diploma or GED is required.


Engineer Staff

Requires a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from an accredited college or university and at least one year of engineering experience; OR a PE license obtained by accredited examination and at least one year of engineering experience. A high school diploma or GED is required.


Engineer

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an accredited college or university or a PE license obtained by accredited examination and zero to three years of discipline engineering experience. A high school diploma or GED is required.


DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Prior experience with Nuclear Power and/or Power Uprates.
  • Design or Project Implementation experience.
  • Adaptable and capable of working both alone and in a team environment.
  • Experience working with Architecture/ Engineering (A/E) firms to successfully complete projects.


PAY RANGE

Engineer Principal Salary: $122,681 - $184,021

Midpoint: $153,351


Engineer Senior Salary: $106,670 - $160,006

Midpoint: $133,338


Engineer Staff Salary: $92,750 - $139,124

Midpoint: $115,937


Engineer Salary: $80,704 - $121,056

Midpoint: $100,880


Typically, selected candidates are hired between the minimum and midpoint of the range, based on applicable experience and qualifications, market rate, internal equity, and budgetary allowances.



Offers will be negotiated based on each candidate's qualifications.


INCENTIVE COMPENSATION


This role is eligible to participate in our annual incentive plan. Incentives are earned based on employee performance against defined metrics and company goals.


BENEFITS


Energy Northwest (EN) provides a phenomenal benefits package. Washington State also has no state income tax, and the Tri-Cities provides a cost-of-living lower than the national average.


EN offers substantial retirement benefits through three retirement programs including the Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System pension plan (PERS), a 401(k) savings plan with an employer match component, and a 457(b) savings plan. EN also offers multiple options for medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance coverage. Other voluntary benefits may include flexible spending accounts (FSAs), tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, childcare subsides, health reimbursement arrangement (HRA VEBA), health savings account (HSA), supplemental life insurances, credit monitoring/identity theft insurance, and more! Qualifying employees will typically start a personal time accrual rate of 160 hours per year and EN provides nine paid holidays throughout the Calander year; personal time accruals grow significantly at various service intervals.

Salary : $80,704 - $184,021

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