Senior Plant Reliability Engineer

Kairos Power•Albuquerque, NM

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Kairos Power is seeking a Senior Plant Reliability Engineer to independently lead integrated reliability assessments and investigations supporting the design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, and operation of nuclear and non-nuclear hardware demonstration projects. The role contributes to the development and commercialization of Kairos Power reactors. The engineer partners with cross-functional teams to incorporate reliability considerations into hardware and project activities, evaluates risk-analysis results and remaining risk, and communicates technical conclusions and uncertainties to technical teams and leadership. The role also supports selected major hardware demonstration projects during commissioning and operations, including shift coverage as needed, and collaborates across Kairos Power sites with travel as required. The position is onsite and may require approximately 25% travel. Schedule flexibility, shift coverage, and extended hours may be needed to support major project activities. Work may take place in office, prototyping, testing, industrial, manufacturing, and construction environments. The role may include hands-on hardware fabrication, assembly, testing, commissioning, and operation.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science 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.
Demonstrated 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.
Demonstrated 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 appropriate to the question, decisions being supported, and hardware maturity.
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.

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 when system design, configuration, or operating conditions change.
Evaluate whether risk-analysis results meet acceptance criteria and characterize remaining risk.
Clearly 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 improvements to current and future projects.
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 major 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 duties as assigned, which may include hands-on hardware fabrication, assembly, testing, commissioning, and operation.