Senior Plant Reliability Engineer

Kairos Power•Albuquerque, NM

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Kairos Power is a nuclear energy technology and engineering company working to commercialize fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactors. The Senior Plant Reliability Engineer independently leads integrated reliability assessments, hazard evaluations, and technical investigations supporting nuclear and non-nuclear hardware demonstration projects across design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, and operation. The role contributes to development and commercialization of Kairos Power reactors, integrating reliability considerations with cross-functional teams and updating assessments as designs, configurations, or operating conditions change. The engineer evaluates risk-analysis results against acceptance criteria, characterizes residual risks, and communicates technical conclusions, uncertainties, and risks to technical teams and leadership. The role also uses operating experience and equipment performance data to inform reliability and availability improvements, mentors reliability engineers, and improves program methods and processes. Reliability support for selected hardware demonstration projects during commissioning and operations may include shift coverage. The position may involve hands-on hardware work and travel among company sites and other project locations. Schedule flexibility and extended hours may be needed for major project activities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Systems Engineering, or another relevant technical discipline.
At least 10 years of engineering experience supporting the reliability and performance of plant systems and components, including integrated reliability and risk analyses.
Ability to independently lead technical assessments or investigations and develop documented conclusions in a fast-paced environment with incomplete or evolving information.
Experience applying qualitative and quantitative analysis methods such as FMEA, HAZOP, what-if analysis, fault tree analysis, event tree analysis, dependency analysis, or equivalent methods.
Ability to communicate complex technical work and build alignment across disciplines and organizational levels.
Experience providing technical review and mentoring other engineers.
Ability to assess how component failures, system dependencies, and operating conditions affect plant reliability and availability.
Ability to select and apply reliability and risk analysis methods suited to the question, decisions being supported, and maturity of the hardware.
Ability to identify, document, and communicate assumptions, data limitations, and uncertainties in technical assessments.
Ability to interpret equipment performance and operating experience and identify reliability implications that inform engineering decisions.
Ability to communicate technical findings and residual risks clearly to multidisciplinary teams and leadership.
Schedule flexibility to support selected major hardware demonstration projects, including shift coverage and extended hours as needed.
Authorization by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information is required to work in the facility. Certain foreign nationals may need a DOE export control license.

Nice To Haves

Experience analyzing operating, failure, maintenance, and outage data to evaluate component and system reliability, equipment unavailability, and plant availability.

Responsibilities

Independently lead integrated reliability assessments, hazard evaluations, and technical investigations with cross-functional teams.
Integrate reliability considerations into hardware design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, and operation.
Update assessments as system design, configuration, or operating conditions change.
Evaluate risk-analysis results against acceptance criteria and characterize remaining risk.
Communicate technical conclusions, uncertainties, and residual risks to technical teams and leadership.
Capture, evaluate, and communicate operating experience and equipment performance data to inform component and system reliability, plant availability, and project improvements.
Mentor reliability engineers in applying reliability and risk analysis methods.
Improve reliability program methods, guidance, and work processes based on project needs and lessons learned.
Provide reliability support for selected hardware demonstration projects during commissioning and operations, including shift coverage as needed.
Collaborate with teams across Kairos Power sites and travel as needed to support project activities.
Perform other assigned duties, potentially including hands-on hardware fabrication, assembly, testing, commissioning, and operation.