Director/Vice President, Nuclear Engineering

Director/Vice President, Nuclear Engineering

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

About Canadian Strategic Missions Corp. (CSMC) 
Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation is building the capabilities that will shape Canada's future in space, defence, and energy. We focus on developing dual use systems that address critical challenges here on Earth while enabling sustained human activity beyond it. 

 

In a short time, CSMC has established real momentum. WE have secured significant government investment to advance next generation micro nuclear reactors in partnership with leading institutions, alongside expanding a portfolio of technologies designed for remote environments, national defence, and future space missions. These efforts reflect a broader ambition to deliver reliable power and critical infrastructure where it matters most.  
 
Our work is grounded in close collaboration with government and guided by a clear sense of purpose: to build sovereign capability at a time when it has never been more important. We care deeply about execution, long term impact and earning the trust required to deliver systems that will service Canada and its allies for decades.  

 

CSMC is a company for builders. We are a group of people drawn to hard problems, meaningful impact and the opportunity to shape systems that matter at a national and global scale. We are building a team that thrives in ambiguity, values execution, and is motivated by mission and impact. 

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.

Why Join CSMC  

CSMC is building technologies that will shape Canada’s future in energy, space, and national security. You’ll join a team of engineers, scientists, and mission‑driven builders who care deeply about solving hard problems that matter. We move quickly, support each other, and take pride in doing work that has real impact. Along the way, you’ll have access to competitive compensation, benefits, and equity, and the chance to grow with a company that values ownership, curiosity, and technical excellence. 

Employment Eligibility  
CSMC works with highly sensitive nuclear, defence, and aerospace technologies, and all roles require eligibility for federal security screening and compliance with controlled goods and export regulations. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in Canada, able to obtain and maintain Government of Canada security clearance, and eligible to meet foreign affiliation and export control requirements. These conditions are mandatory Bona Fide Occupational Requirements and reflect the need to securely develop and protect nationally significant capabilities.