Director/Vice President, Nuclear Engineering

Location: Waterloo, Ontario (On‑Site, 5 Days/Week)

About CSMC

Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) is a Canadian deep‑tech company developing advanced micro‑reactor technologies for defence, aerospace, remote operations, and future off‑world missions. Our work spans nuclear engineering, advanced materials, thermal‑hydraulics, systems integration, and mission‑critical energy systems.

We are building Canada’s next great nuclear company — one positioned at the intersection of nuclear energy, defence innovation, space systems, and frontier engineering. Our team includes leaders from Canada’s top nuclear, aerospace, and space organizations. We are now seeking a Director or VP of Nuclear Engineering to help shape the next phase of our microreactor development program.

Position Overview

The Director/VP of Nuclear Engineering is a senior technical leader responsible for CSMC’s nuclear engineering strategy, reactor design activities, and engineering governance. This role provides leadership across reactor physics, thermal‑hydraulics, systems engineering, safety analysis, and regulatory readiness, while supporting early CNSC engagement and licensing strategy.

You will work directly with the CEO, COO, Chief Scientist, and EVP Engineering Emeritus, playing a central role in advancing CSMC’s microreactor technology from concept to prototype and deployment.

This is an on‑site leadership role based in Waterloo, Ontario.

Key Responsibilities

Nuclear Engineering Leadership

• Lead the Nuclear Engineering department, including reactor design, analysis, modelling, and systems integration.
• Establish engineering processes aligned with CSA N286, N299, and CNSC expectations for design control, configuration management, and technical baselining.
• Provide technical authority across reactor physics, thermal‑hydraulics, multiphysics modelling, and safety‑critical engineering decisions.

Reactor Design & Development

• Oversee development of microreactor systems, including core design, heat‑transport systems, shielding, and safety‑related components.
• Guide engineering teams in producing high‑quality technical deliverables, design documentation, and analysis packages.
• Support prototyping, test planning, and experimental validation activities.

Regulatory & Licensing Support

• Support early‑stage regulatory engagement, including CNSC Vendor Design Review (VDR), pre‑licensing discussions, and licensing strategy development.
• Ensure engineering outputs meet regulatory defensibility standards and align with licensing basis expectations.
• Collaborate with regulatory affairs, quality, and safety teams to prepare technical basis documents, safety analyses, and design submissions.

Program & Project Leadership

• Manage multidisciplinary engineering teams and external partners across multiple concurrent projects.
• Lead technical planning, resource allocation, risk management, and execution oversight.
• Support proposal development, customer engagement, and strategic partnerships with government, national labs, and industry.

Technical Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Produce high‑quality technical reports, studies, and engineering assessments.
• Present engineering findings to executives, regulators, partners, and internal review boards.
• Represent CSMC in technical forums, industry groups, and strategic discussions.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or higher) in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 10–15+ years of experience in nuclear engineering, reactor development, or regulated nuclear programs.
• Demonstrated experience in CNSC‑regulated environments, including VDR, PDR, or facility licensing.
• Strong understanding of nuclear systems, reactor physics, thermal‑hydraulics, and multiphysics analysis.
• Hands‑on experience with tools such as ANSYS, COMSOL, OpenFOAM, MCNP, SERPENT, or equivalent.
• Experience working within a nuclear management system and nuclear QA environment (CSA N286/N299).
• Proven leadership experience managing engineering teams or technical programs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, early‑stage engineering environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with advanced reactors, microreactors, or FOAK nuclear technologies.
• Experience in defence, aerospace, or remote‑operations energy systems.
• Background in robotics, automation, or mechatronics (asset).
• Experience with prototyping, experimental systems, or test loop development.
• Familiarity with nuclear economics, policy, and deployment strategy.

Employment Eligibility

CSMC works with highly sensitive nuclear, defence, and aerospace‑related technologies. As a result, all CSMC positions require eligibility for federal security screening and export‑control compliance. These requirements are Bona Fide Occupational Requirements (BFORs) under applicable human‑rights legislation.

To be eligible for employment at CSMC, candidates must meet ALL of the following:

1. Legal Authorization to Work in Canada

• Currently legally authorized to work in Canada
• Able to maintain valid work authorization throughout employment

2. Government of Canada Security Screening

• Able to obtain and maintain Reliability Status or higher
• Able to provide 5+ years of continuous, verifiable background history
• Willing to undergo identity, employment, education, and criminal checks

3. Foreign Influence & Foreign Affiliation Risk Assessment (FIRA)

Candidates must be eligible to undergo a FIRA, which may include review of:

• Foreign citizenship(s)
• Recent foreign residence
• Immediate family ties abroad
• Foreign financial, business, or government affiliations

4. Controlled Goods & Export‑Control Eligibility

• Eligible to access Controlled Goods
• Eligible to access export‑controlled technical data
• Willing to undergo additional screening if required

5. On‑Site Requirement

• Able to work on‑site in Waterloo, Ontario, as required for access to secure and controlled workspaces

These requirements are regulatory in nature and ensure compliance with federal law and the secure handling of sensitive technologies.