Senior Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) / Seismic Risk Assessment Engineer

Job Type: Contract (12-months, highly extendable)
Location: Pickering or Mississauga
Onsite Requirement: Hybrid (Flexible)

Overview

The Nuclear Safety Assessment and Analysis Support (NSAS) Group is seeking an experienced Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) professional to support current and future seismic risk assessment initiatives within the Canadian nuclear industry. This individual will play a critical role in the development, review, and execution of Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessments (PSHA) and Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessments (SPRA), supporting nuclear generating stations and utility stakeholders in maintaining the highest standards of nuclear safety and regulatory compliance.

This position is ideally suited for a seasoned engineer with extensive experience in seismic risk assessment, probabilistic safety methodologies, and nuclear safety analysis. The successful candidate will serve as a technical subject matter expert, providing independent assessment, peer review, and consulting support for complex safety-critical projects.

The role requires a combination of deep technical expertise, strong stakeholder management skills, and the ability to independently lead assessment activities while collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering, licensing, operations, and regulatory teams.

Key Responsibilities

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA)

• Lead the preparation, review, and technical evaluation of Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessments (PSHA) for nuclear generating facilities.

• Evaluate seismic hazard inputs, assumptions, methodologies, and resulting hazard curves in accordance with industry best practices and regulatory expectations.

• Review seismic source characterization, ground motion models, uncertainty analyses, and hazard quantification methodologies.

• Validate technical approaches used in seismic hazard studies and identify areas requiring further analysis or refinement.

• Support development of seismic hazard models used within broader probabilistic risk assessments.

Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) and Seismic PRA

• Support the development, maintenance, review, and enhancement of Probabilistic Safety Assessments (PSA) and Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessments (SPRA).

• Assess seismic risk contributions to overall plant risk profiles and identify potential vulnerabilities.

• Review risk models, assumptions, initiating events, system interactions, and seismic-induced failure mechanisms.

• Evaluate external hazard impacts on plant safety systems, structures, and components.

• Participate in risk-informed decision-making activities supporting plant operation, refurbishment, and licensing initiatives.

• Contribute to the development of technical recommendations aimed at reducing plant risk and improving safety margins.

Technical Review and Analysis

• Perform independent technical reviews of safety analyses, calculations, engineering evaluations, and risk assessment documentation.

• Prepare, review, and validate engineering calculations supporting seismic hazard and risk assessments.

• Ensure analyses are technically defensible, traceable, and aligned with applicable industry standards and regulatory requirements.

• Provide expert judgment and recommendations regarding seismic safety, risk significance, and mitigation strategies.

• Support peer reviews and independent assessments of seismic and probabilistic safety analysis programs.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a key technical interface between engineering teams, utility stakeholders, regulators, and project leadership.

• Present technical findings, risk insights, and recommendations to both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Participate in meetings, workshops, technical reviews, and client discussions related to seismic risk and nuclear safety.

• Build trusted relationships with utility representatives and contribute to long-term client success.

• Collaborate closely with civil, structural, licensing, operations, and nuclear safety teams.

Regulatory and Industry Support

• Support compliance with Canadian nuclear regulatory requirements and industry standards.

• Contribute technical expertise to licensing submissions, regulatory responses, and safety case development activities.

• Remain current with evolving industry guidance, EPRI methodologies, seismic risk assessment practices, and nuclear safety standards.

• Support implementation of risk-informed engineering and decision-making processes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario in good standing.

• Completion of EPRI Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment Training (Course 3002015162).

• Minimum 5–10 years of experience performing seismic risk assessments, probabilistic safety assessments, or related nuclear safety analysis activities.

• Demonstrated experience preparing and reviewing Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessments (PSHA).

• Strong understanding of probabilistic risk assessment methodologies and external hazard analysis.

• Experience preparing, reviewing, and defending technical engineering calculations and reports.

• Proven ability to engage effectively with utility stakeholders and multidisciplinary technical teams.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• SQUG (Seismic Qualification Utility Group) qualification or certification.

• Experience supporting Bruce Power, Ontario Power Generation (OPG), or other nuclear utilities.

• Direct experience with Seismic Probabilistic Risk Assessment (SPRA) programs.

• Familiarity with Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulatory requirements.

• Experience supporting nuclear licensing, refurbishment, or life-extension programs.

• Previous consulting experience supporting utility clients.

• Experience participating in peer reviews, independent assessments, or expert panels.

• Existing relationships within the Canadian nuclear industry.