Nuclear Waste System Engineer

What we do at Blykalla

Blykalla is a global leader in advanced nuclear technology, commercialising the next generation of clean, reliable energy through its lead-cooled reactor, the SEALER. By combining decades of specialised research with world-class partners, Blykalla is building the backbone of the global AI and industrial economy. For more information, visit https://www.blykalla.com.

What you’ll get to do

You will own the design of the radioactive waste management systems for SEALER, covering the liquid, gaseous, and solid waste streams generated by the reactor over its life. This includes the systems that process, characterise, condition, package, and store waste, from the cover gas cleanup that handles activation products in the primary loop, to the treatment of contaminated liquids from maintenance operations, to the interfaces with spent fuel and decommissioning.

The lead-cooled fast reactor environment presents distinct waste challenges, solutions here need to combine solid nuclear waste engineering fundamentals with a proper understanding of the lead chemistry environment.

Define the functional and design requirements for SEALER's radioactive waste management systems, covering liquid, gaseous, and solid waste streams.

Develop and maintain the design basis for cover gas cleanup, liquid radwaste treatment, and solid waste characterisation, packaging, and storage.

Lead trade-off studies on waste minimisation at source versus downstream treatment, and quantify the impact on plant footprint, cost, and dose.

Interface with the Nuclear and Safety and licensing teams on waste categorisation, disposal routes, and regulatory expectations in Europe (i.e. SSM) and in the US (NRC).

Define the scope of supplier work packages on waste system equipment, evaluate proposals, and steer their execution through qualification.

Coordinate with the Material and Lead Chemistry teams on activation products and the handling of lead-contaminated components.

Support decommissioning-