Project Engineer

The Project Engineer plans and delivers a portfolio of multi-disciplinary research and optimization projects that develop, scale and industrialize new technologies. The role creates structure across scope, schedule, cost, risk and communication, while technical design and approval authority remains with the relevant research and engineering discipline leads. Working closely with the U.S. Technical and Operations teams, the role coordinates projects from concept through procurement, construction, commissioning, testing and handover. Success is measured through safe, compliant and predictable delivery, early escalation of constraints, and clear governance and decision-making.

• Extensive project engineering, technical project management or comparable experience in chemical, petrochemical, refining, nuclear or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated coordination of multi-disciplinary projects through research, design, procurement, construction, commissioning and testing, with cost and schedule of accountability.
• Practical experience partnering with research, process and mechanical engineers, operations teams, contractors and engineering service providers.
• Experience with brownfield or greenfield capital projects and structured project delivery frameworks.
• Exposure to corrosive chemicals, vacuum or gas-handling equipment, or nuclear fuel and isotope-enrichment processes is desirable.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

• Project delivery expertise across scope, schedule, budget, risk, change control and milestone governance.
• Working knowledge of process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, equipment specifications and general arrangement drawings.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder communication across technical teams, operations, contractors and leadership.
• Organized and analytical management of parallel projects, dependencies, and decisions in regulated or high-hazard settings.
• Continuous improvement capability to develop practical templates, procedures and delivery controls.

Essential Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree (BA or BS) from an accredited institution. 5+ years of project or program management experience delivering complex technical programs, with at least 3-5 years directly embedded within a hardware, advanced manufacturing, deep tech, or industrial environment. Direct experience driving hardware systems through structured phase-gate lifecycles. Must understand lead times, long-lead procurement, and physical fabrication constraints. Formal project management certification, such as PMP, is desirable but not essential.

Location

• Austin, Texas OR San Francisco Bay Area preferred
• Remote candidates within the United States will be considered, with regular travel to U.S. project sites required

• Plan and control project delivery by maintaining integrated scope, work breakdown structures, schedules, budgets, milestones and risk registers, identifying variance early and coordinating recovery actions against approved outcomes.
• Coordinate technical and operational interfaces across Research & Optimization, Process, Mechanical, Controls, Operations and Environment, Health and Safety, documenting dependencies and escalating cross-discipline constraints while discipline leads retain technical authority.
• Manage external delivery interfaces by coordinating engineering contractors, equipment vendors and construction partners against agreed scope, schedule and budget, including requisitions, requests for quotation, purchase-order tracking, information requests and changes.
• Integrate governance, risk and safety by embedding compliance-first and safety-by-design expectations, maintaining decision and change records, and driving risk mitigations to closure through stage-gate activity.
• Communicate progress and improve delivery practice through structured status, design-readiness and lessons-learned forums, concise milestone, cost and risk reporting, and practical improvements to templates, procedures and project playbooks.
• Work with key external partners including engineering contractors, equipment vendors, construction partners and commissioning service providers.

Legal & Compliance Notice
Regulatory & Export Control Notice
Quantum Leap Energy (QLE) conducts business in the nuclear technology and advanced materials sectors, which are subject to strict export control, non-proliferation, and national security regulations.

Employment with QLE may require compliance with one or more of the following regulatory frameworks, depending on work location and role scope:
United States: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) under the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
United Kingdom: Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and UK Strategic Export Control regulations administered by the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU).
South Africa: National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), and Non-Proliferation Council regulations under the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act.

Certain positions may require “U.S. person” status (as defined by 10 CFR Part 810 or EAR Part 772) and/or the ability to obtain and maintain applicable export control authorizations or security clearances. QLE complies with all relevant national and international export control, non-proliferation, and security requirements in every jurisdiction in which it operates.

Equal Opportunity Statement
Quantum Leap Energy (QLE) is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.