Chief Technology Officer

The Nuclear Company • Washington, DC

134d

About The Position

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally. As our Chief Technology Officer (CTO), you will be responsible for driving the overall technology vision, product architecture, and engineering execution across both hardware and software domains. This role is ideal for a dynamic technical leader with a strong background in engineering design, experience scaling industrial or tech-based companies, and a passion for solving high-impact energy challenges.

Requirements

• Proven leadership experience as CTO, VP of Engineering, or similar at a technology, industrial, or energy company.
• 15+ years in hardware/software engineering, with a strong track record of designing and scaling complex systems.
• Deep experience in robotics and automation, preferably in high-reliability or mission critical applications.
• Background in industrial design, mechanical systems, or nuclear technologies with demonstrated systems-level thinking.
• Experience taking products from R&D through prototype, testing, production, and deployment.
• Strong understanding of engineering best practices, safety standards, and regulatory environments in the energy or industrial sector.
• Ability to recruit, inspire, and lead multidisciplinary technical teams in a fast-paced start-up environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the nuclear energy sector, or in regulated industries with complex safety and compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with embedded systems, control software, AI/ML for automation, and digital twins.
• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or related technical field.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the company’s technical vision, product architecture, and R&D priorities across nuclear systems, automation, and digital platforms.
• Build, scale, and mentor a world-class engineering team across hardware (mechanical, nuclear, electrical) and software (controls, embedded systems, simulation).
• Oversee end-to-end product development, including design, prototyping, testing, iteration, and scaling into production.
• Lead or supervise the design of reactor components, robotics systems, automation tools, and software platforms with a strong focus on safety, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Spearhead the integration of robotics and automated systems for maintenance, diagnostics, and deployment within nuclear environments.
• Develop scalable manufacturing, automation, and deployment strategies for transitioning from prototype to production and field implementation.
• Lead the development and optimization of the upstream supply chain for critical nuclear reactor components—ensuring quality, traceability, cost efficiency, and supplier reliability.
• Partner closely with regulatory, commercial, and operations teams to ensure alignment with licensing, compliance, and market needs.
• Evaluate and mitigate technical and regulatory risks, ensuring engineering practices are compliant, innovative, and future proof.
• Represent the company in technical discussions with partners, investors, regulators, and strategic stakeholders.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages
• 401k with company match
• Medical, dental, vision plans
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Master's degree
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees