Mechanical Engineer, Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Systems

Company Overview

Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world's transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people's quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Job Summary

The Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Systems team is seeking a highly motivate Mechanical Engineer to join the growing Reactor Systems department where you will have the opportunity to work directly on the design, testing, and deployment of reactor internal components in a first-of-a-kind FHR. These reactor internals are essential for reactivity control and ensuring nuclear safety of the KP-FHR technology.

In this role, you will manage and coordinate the detailed design of reactor internal components ranging from control rods to reactor instrumentation. The position requires a strong aptitude for mechanical design, engineering analysis, and high temperature materials under irradiation. You will be expected to regularly interface with multi-disciplinary teams including nuclear design, reactor thermal hydraulics, fuels and materials, safety analysis, remote handling, testing, and manufacturing. You will work closely with the Drive Mechanisms group and Reactor Vessel System team iterating on component design, collaborating on design trades, and deploying hardware for FHR demonstration reactors.

Responsibilities :

• Manage the mechanical design of reactor internal components for KP-FHR reactor vessel auxiliary systems.
• Design custom 3D models of components to be compatible with interfacing systems, structures, and components; support thermal, stress, and failure analyses; and aid in design for manufacturing and assembly reviews.
• Create and review engineering documentation such as mechanical drawings, test plans, memos, specifications, and technical reports.
• Independently perform engineering analyses such as thermal analyses, structural analyses, and failure mode and effects analyses or guide these analyses when performed by Kairos Power teams.
• Regularly interface and communicate component requirements with other disciplinary teams including nuclear design, reactor vessel design, safety analysis, and manufacturing.
• Plan and work with testing teams on prototype, development, and qualification testing of reactor internal components.
• Maintain knowledge of and assess compliance with applicable codes and standards such as ASME, ANSI, ASTM, and others.
• Engage with manufacturing and operations teams to support component fabrication, assembly, testing, and operations.
• Perform design verification and validation activities to ensure component performance meets functional and safety requirements.
• Participate in hazard and failure analyses (HAZOP, FMEA, FTA) and incorporate safety insights into design iterations.
• Support supplier and vendor engagement, including reviewing fabrication drawings, manufacturing processes, and inspection reports.
• Contribute to configuration management by maintaining design baselines, revision control, and traceability of changes.
• Assist in cost, schedule, and risk assessments related to mechanical design and testing activities.
• Participate in peer design reviews and technical audits to ensure compliance with quality and performance objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications :

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities :

Physical Conditions :

Environmental Conditions :

Safety and PPE :

Travel :

Additional Requirements :

The salary range for this position is $122,300 to $143,800 for employees working onsite at our Alameda, CA headquarters. The range provided in this job posting represents the typical range or starting rate of candidates hired in California. Factors that maybe used to determine your actual salary may include your education, experience, knowledge, skills, ability and the market data for your work location, and a comparison to other employees already in the role.

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About our Benefits

We know that we have some of the most talented and dedicated employees, and we believe in rewarding them accordingly. If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below :

Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. Kairos Power is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We actively welcome people of different experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Kairos Power participates in E-Verify.

Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.

Note : You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy's general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. The following questions are intended to determine the licensing requirements that may apply.