Mechanical Engineer, Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Systems

Kairos Power • Alameda, CA

70d • $122,300 - $143,800 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Mechanical Engineer, Reactor Vessel Auxiliary Systems, supports the design, integration, and technical development of reactor vessel auxiliary systems within the Nuclear Reactor Systems Design organization. This role contributes to the design and analysis of key subsystems such as Reactivity Control, Shutdown, and Startup Systems, as well as the mechanical layout and configuration of components within the Reactor Cavity. The engineer collaborates across disciplines-including mechanical, nuclear, instrumentation and controls, and manufacturing-to ensure designs meet performance, safety, and regulatory requirements. This position requires strong technical acumen, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment to advance Kairos Power's mission.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a closely related field required; Master's degree preferred, but not required.
• 4+ years of experience in mechanical design and analysis within the nuclear, energy, aerospace, or similar highly regulated industry.
• Experience with complex mechanical or nuclear system design and integration, such as reactivity control mechanisms, shielding structures, or remote handling systems, preferred.
• Familiarity with ASME BPVC design codes, pressure boundary design, and relevant NRC or industry standards.
• Experience with high-temperature or molten salt systems is a plus.
• Experience in CAD modeling and using engineering analysis tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo, ANSYS, or equivalent).

Nice To Haves

• Technical expertise in mechanical and nuclear systems design, including thermal-mechanical integration and system interfaces for complex engineered systems such as reactor internals and auxiliary components.
• Knowledge of engineering standards and codes, including ASME BPVC (Sections III and VIII), pressure boundary design, materials selection, and nuclear regulatory requirements.
• Proficiency in CAD modeling and Product Data Management (PDM) tools (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks) for developing, managing, and reviewing 3D models, drawings, and bills of materials.
• Ability to perform mechanical analysis and simulation, including finite element analysis (FEA), tolerance analysis, and stress or vibration assessment to support design verification.
• Skill in systems integration and interface management across mechanical, thermal, and instrumentation and control (I&C) subsystems.
• Understanding of manufacturing and assembly methods, including fabrication, machining, welding, and inspection of high-temperature or nuclear-grade components.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design, analysis, and integration of reactor vessel auxiliary systems, including reactor internals and associated mechanical structures.
• Drive mechanisms for actuating reactor internals.
• Instrumentation and control interfaces for drive mechanisms.
• Handling, storage, and maintenance systems for reactor internals and drive mechanisms.
• Develop and maintain engineering documentation, including 3D models, drawings, calculations, design reports, and test procedures.
• Support system and component-level design reviews, hazard analyses, and risk assessments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in core design, reactor thermal hydraulics, instrumentation and controls, remote handling, fuels and materials, and reliability engineering to ensure system integration and performance.
• Interface with manufacturing, procurement, testing, and quality teams to support build, assembly, inspection, and qualification of mechanical components and systems.
• Apply engineering principles, standards, and analytical tools to ensure designs meet requirements for performance, safety, maintainability, and regulatory compliance.
• Contribute to continuous improvement in engineering design practices, documentation quality, and design verification processes.
• Participate in the development of design standards and lessons learned for future system iterations.
• Support requirements definition, traceability, and verification activities to ensure system designs meet functional and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct or support design analyses including stress, thermal, structural, and dynamic assessments to validate design performance under operating and transient conditions.
• Participate in failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), fault tree analysis (FTA), and design-for-safety reviews.
• Coordinate design inputs and outputs across interface boundaries (mechanical, thermal, I&C, and materials) to ensure cohesive system integration.
• Contribute to system-level configuration management by maintaining design baselines and supporting change control activities.
• Prepare and present technical content in design and peer reviews, communicating key decisions, assumptions, and results.
• Support component and system testing, including definition of acceptance criteria, data collection, and analysis of test results.
• Collaborate with licensing and compliance teams to provide engineering inputs supporting design certification and regulatory documentation.
• Participate in supplier technical evaluations, design reviews, and oversight for critical components and assemblies.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support project and organizational goals.

Benefits

• Salary range of $122,300 to $143,800 for employees working onsite at our Alameda, CA headquarters.
• Factors that may be used to determine actual salary include education, experience, knowledge, skills, ability, and market data.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees