Mechanical Design Engineer - Fuel Recycling

Oklo•Santa Clara, CA

7h•$80,000 - $155,000

About The Position

The person in this role is responsible for the design, prototyping, and iterative refinement of production-scale, remotely operated electrochemical molten salt process equipment used in nuclear fuel recycling. This work directly supports Oklo’s mission to close the fuel cycle and enable advanced fission technology deployment. The systems developed will operate in high-temperature (>500 °C) and high-radiation environments, demanding robust, maintainable designs suitable for automation, remote operation, and long service lifetimes. Day-to-day activities will include mechanical design, testing, and validation of process and mechanical systems that perform reliably in these extreme conditions. This role will include participation in cross-functional teams focused on facility design, nuclear and electrochemical engineering, instrumentation and controls, automation and robotics, process modeling, quality assurance, and licensing.

Requirements

Passionate about clean energy and closing the nuclear fuel cycle.
Proficient in 3D mechanical design (Siemens NX, Solidworks, Creo, etc) with a deep understanding of high-temperature, radiation-tolerant, and industrial process systems.
Experienced or eager to learn about automated and remotely operated systems in nuclear or heavy industrial environments.
Energized by tackling and overcoming complex design challenges in extreme operating conditions.
Passionate about designing for manufacturability, maintainability, and automation.
Comfortable collaborating in multidisciplinary teams with mechanical, controls, and materials engineers.
An optimist at heart, comfortable in a fast-paced, highly iterative startup environment.
Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflectively about the problems they are solving while not leaning only on what has been done before
Willing to propose novel and creative solutions to technical problems
An excellent communicator, both verbally and in writing—able to produce clear, modern, and compelling technical documentation.
Bachelor’s or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field (e.g., Materials or Nuclear Engineering).
5-10 years of experience demonstrating success taking mechanical systems from concept through detailed design, analysis, fabrication, and deployment.
Experience with custom mechanical design for equipment used in high-temperature or heavy industrial applications (e.g. nuclear, petrochemical, or mining industries).
Expert-level proficiency with CAD software (e.g., Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks), including 3D model generation and 2D fabrication drawings.
Broad familiarity with engineering principles and strong systems engineering intuition.
Working knowledge of material selection, particularly high-temperature alloys and corrosion-resistant metals, along with related manufacturing and joining techniques.

Nice To Haves

Experience with electrochemical manufacturing processes such as electroplating, electrowinning, or pyroprocessing.
Experience designing equipment for high (>500 °C) temperature operation or corrosive molten salt environments.
Experience designing for radiation tolerance or remote maintenance in nuclear or space systems.
Familiarity with design for automation, including integration with robotics and control systems for “lights-out” operations.
Experience designing heavy industrial equipment or pilot-scale systems with high reliability and extended maintenance intervals.
Experience with ANSYS or similar FEA/CFD simulation software for structural and thermal analysis.
Knowledge of GD&T and design for manufacturability best practices.
Experience with balance of plant facility design and integration with automated process systems.
Experience in commercial or governmental nuclear projects.

Responsibilities

Develop and own the mechanical design of process and system components within Oklo’s nuclear fuel recycling facilities.
Design and validate high-temperature (>500 °C) and corrosion-resistant electrochemical process equipment, suitable for operation in high-radiation environments.
Incorporate design-for-automation principles to enable remote handling, inspection, and maintenance of systems and components.
Collaborate cross-functionally with other engineering teams to define design and functional requirements, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and industry standards
Lead and participate in formal design reviews, providing and integrating multidisciplinary technical feedback.
Generate and maintain 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, and bills of materials in controlled PDM/PLM environments.
Prepare clear and traceable engineering documentation, including design rationales, functional requirements, and regulatory submissions.
Collaborate directly with fabrication partners and vendors to refine designs for manufacturability, cost effectiveness, and scalability.
Support equipment prototyping, testing, and commissioning at Oklo’s recycling development and deployment sites.