About The Company The Naval Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is a premier research and development organization dedicated to advancing nuclear propulsion technology for the United States Navy. Operated for the U.S.
Department of Energy by Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC, NNL has a storied history spanning nearly 70 years of developing innovative nuclear propulsion systems, providing technical support, and training highly skilled nuclear operators. With facilities including Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, Kenneth A.
Kesselring
Site, and the Naval Reactors Facility, NNL is committed to ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of our nation's naval nuclear fleet. The organization prides itself on fostering a culture rooted in core values such as trust, empowerment, and collaboration, promoting a positive and safety-focused work environment while maintaining the highest standards of nuclear safety and operational excellence. NNL employs a diverse team of approximately 8,000 engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel dedicated to serving the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and supporting national security objectives.
About The Role We are seeking a highly skilled Principal Software Engineer to join the Core Analysis Process System (CAPS) Project at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory. This pivotal role involves leading the reactor engineering community in designing, developing, and implementing sophisticated software solutions tailored to complex scientific and engineering challenges.
The successful candidate will work closely with engineers and management to develop automated, user-friendly tools that evaluate thermal hydraulic and reactor performance conditions, supporting the design and analysis of naval nuclear reactors. This position offers an exciting opportunity to influence the future of reactor physics, thermal performance, and casualty analysis through innovative software applications. As a key leader within the project, you will mentor and oversee multiple software engineers and nuclear engineers, fostering technical excellence and collaborative problem-solving.
Your expertise will help shape the strategic direction of scientific and engineering efforts, emphasizing high-performance computing, data science, and modern computing architectures to meet near-term and long-term objectives.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical, engineering, or science discipline with a minimum of 9 years of relevant experience. Alternatively, a master’s degree with at least 7 years of experience or a doctorate with 3 years of experience will also qualify. Candidates currently serving as a Principal Reactor Training Engineer, Refueling Engineer, or Field (RPCO) Engineer at NNL are encouraged to apply.
Required skills include strong programming proficiency in compiled languages such as Java, C, C++, or Fortran, as well as interpreted languages like Python.
Experience with software architecture, including design, implementation, testing, and maintenance, is essential. Familiarity with client-server systems across multiple operating environments (Windows, Linux), graphical user interfaces, parallel programming, and high-performance computing is highly desirable. The candidate should demonstrate the ability to work effectively within an agile development framework, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and possess a passion for scientific software development.
Independent work capability and experience collaborating within interdisciplinary teams are also important.
Responsibilities As a Principal Software Engineer, your responsibilities will include leading the development of complex software applications supporting naval reactor design and analysis. You will oversee the entire software lifecycle—from architecture and coding to testing, verification, and maintenance—ensuring high-quality, reliable tools for reactor physics, thermal performance, and casualty analysis.
Mentoring and guiding a team of software and nuclear engineers will be a key aspect of your role, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. You will collaborate with management and project leads to define technological strategies and future development directions aligned with organizational goals. Your expertise will contribute to the integration of high-performance computing and data science techniques to enhance analytical capabilities.
Additionally, you will support the deployment of user-friendly interfaces and automated workflows, facilitating efficient and accurate reactor performance evaluations. Staying current with emerging technologies and best practices in scientific computing and software engineering is expected to ensure NNL remains at the forefront of nuclear propulsion technology.Apply tot his job
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