Nucleon Radiation Effects Engineer 1/Radiation Effects Engineer 2 New York, NY · Full time Company website

Apply for Radiation Effects Engineer 1/Radiation Effects Engineer 2

Nucleon provides radiation testing, analysis, and software for commercial space, aviation, and defense customers. Founded in 2022, our team includes engineers from SpaceX, GE, Tesla, and the Missile Defense Agency, and our work goes directly into the hardware that gets launched. We help customers find out how their electronics behave in radiation environments before they fly.

About Nucleon

Nucleon provides radiation testing, analysis, and software for commercial space, aviation, and defense customers. Founded in 2022, our team includes engineers from SpaceX, GE, Tesla, and the Missile Defense Agency, and our work goes directly into the hardware that gets launched. We help customers find out how their electronics behave in radiation environments before they fly.

The Role

As a Radiation Effects Engineer, you'll focus on test execution: getting devices into the beam, running them cleanly, and turning the data into results customers can act on. You'll prepare and check out test hardware, run heavy-ion, proton, neutron, and total-ionizing-dose (TID) campaigns at external accelerator facilities, troubleshoot fast while beam time is running, and own every test you run through to the final report.

Levels and Pay

We're hiring at two levels. Pay ranges are the same in New York, NY and Huntsville, AL.

• Radiation Effects Engineer I (0–3 years): $85,000 – $100,000 per year. For recent graduates and early-career engineers who want to be hands-on in the lab and at the beam. You'll run tests alongside experienced engineers and take on full campaigns as you build experience.
• Radiation Effects Engineer II (3–6 years): $101,000 – $120,000 per year. For experienced test engineers who can run a campaign at the beam on their own, from setup through final report, and help train Level I engineers.

Candidates with more than 6 years of experience will be considered for Senior roles.

Final pay within the range depends on experience and skills.

What You'll Do

• Execute heavy-ion, proton, neutron, and TID test campaigns at external accelerator and radiation test facilities.
• Prepare each campaign: pre-test electrical characterization, hardware checkout, and dry runs of devices, test boards, instrumentation, and software.
• Operate oscilloscopes, power supplies, source meters, multimeters, logic analyzers, function generators, and data acquisition systems during irradiation.
• Monitor devices under beam; identify and document single-event effects (SEL, SEU, SEFI, and destructive SEE); carry out recovery procedures.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, and setup issues quickly to protect limited beam time.
• Perform post-irradiation electrical testing to identify degradation and failure modes.
• Reduce test data (fluence, LET, event counts, cross sections, parametric drift) into clear results.
• Own the deliverable: write the test report for each campaign you run, on our standard turnaround.
• Execute to test plans built from customer requirements. Level II engineers also write test plans and lead campaigns.
• Coordinate with facility staff, Nucleon engineers, and customers before, during, and after each test.

Basic Qualifications (all levels)

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, nuclear engineering, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience (coursework, research, internship, or work) testing electronic circuits or running laboratory experiments.
• Comfort with common lab instruments, including oscilloscopes, bench power supplies, and multimeters.
• Working knowledge of analog and digital circuits, power supplies, and board-level communication interfaces.
• Ability to read component datasheets and interpret electrical specifications.
• Clear technical writing: test logs, procedures, and reports.
• Methodical troubleshooting under time pressure.
• Willingness to work on-site in New York, NY or Huntsville, AL and to travel at least twice a month, typically 3 nights per trip.
• U.S. Person status (see ITAR Requirement below).

Additional Requirements — Engineer I (0–3 years)

• GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Additional Requirements — Engineer II (3–6 years)

• At least 3 years of professional experience in radiation testing, electronics test, or electrical characterization.
• Experience running test campaigns independently, from setup through final report.
• Experience writing test plans from customer requirements.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with Dewesoft data acquisition hardware and software (strongly preferred).
• Radiation testing of electronic components (heavy-ion, proton, neutron, or TID).
• Understanding of total ionizing dose, single-event effects, displacement damage, or radiation hardness assurance.
• Familiarity with LET, fluence, flux, and event cross sections.
• Other data acquisition or automated test experience (e.g., Python instrument control, LabVIEW).
• Familiarity with I2C, SPI, CAN, and UART.
• PCB bring-up and debugging.

Travel and Schedule

• Minimum travel: two trips per month to radiation test facilities, typically 3 nights per trip. Occasional additional trips to customer sites, vendors, or partner labs.
• Beam time is set by the facilities and can include nights, weekends, and long shifts. Expect your schedule to flex around test windows.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation, including hands-on work in an electronics lab.

ITAR Requirement

Due to the nature of the work and applicable export control laws, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), candidates must be able to access ITAR-controlled information. Accordingly, applicants must be U.S. Persons (U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee or asylee status). Employment is contingent upon verification of eligibility. Applicants may be subject to additional export control screening.

Benefits

• Medical insurance with 100% of premiums paid by Nucleon for you and your dependents (PPO and HSA-qualified plan options)
• Health savings account (with the HSA plan)
• Dental and vision insurance, with 75% of premiums paid by Nucleon for you and your dependents
• 401(k) with a dollar-for-dollar match up to 4% of pay
• 20 days of paid time off (combined PTO and sick leave)
• 12 paid holidays (9 company holidays plus 3 floating)
• $150,000 company-paid life insurance
• Performance bonus pool