Mechanical Design Engineer - Plant Piping Systems

About the Company

General Matter enriches uranium.

We are designing, building, and operating the world’s lowest-cost enrichment services, here in the US.  

In the process, we are restoring America’s ability to produce nuclear fuel to power AI, advanced manufacturing and critical industries our country relies on to remain competitive. 

Fuel drives the cost of advanced reactor electricity production, and enrichment drives the cost of the fuel that advanced reactors consume.  Reliable, low-cost enrichment is the catalyst for the nuclear Renaissance now under way.

Our mission is to make nuclear not only the cleanest and safest source of baseload power, but also the most affordable.  We believe abundant nuclear energy will lead to a post-scarcity society. 

We were incubated inside Founders Fund, like Anduril and Palantir before us, and are backed by over a dozen of the world's top venture capital firms.  

Our lean, world-class team of engineers and operators is applying a first-principles approach to solving the problem of nuclear fuel production.  

We are a mission-driven company with a culture of urgency, accountability, and transparency. 

Help us build a high-energy society by making the cleanest, safest form of baseload energy the most affordable. 

About This Role

For decades, America has depended on others for the fuel that powers its reactors. General Matter is changing that, and the piping systems you design will help carry the process at the center of that effort.

As a Mechanical Design Engineer for Plant Piping Systems, you’ll turn process architecture into real, buildable hardware for one of the first new large-scale enrichment facilities built in the United States in a generation. You won’t hand off a model and move on. You’ll own your systems from P&ID to installed pipe: sizing and selecting every valve, fitting, and support, proving each design with analysis, getting long-lead components through procurement on schedule, and walking the construction site to see your work go in. Your engineering decisions will directly affect how safe, reliable, and affordable this facility is, and what that facility produces affects the cost of nuclear power for the whole country.

This role is for engineers who would rather build something that matters than maintain something that already exists. If you want high impact and real ownership, and you’re excited by fast-paced, intense, Skunkworks-style projects, we encourage you to apply and join our team.

Responsibilities

• Own the detailed mechanical design of plant piping and equipment systems, translating P&IDs and process architecture into fully engineered, constructible designs.
• Size and select pipe, valves, fittings, and supports from first principles based on process conditions, including flow, temperature, and pressure.
• Drive routing and layout decisions with process and structural partners, building configurations that are efficient, maintainable, and designed for the full life of the plant.
• Perform structural and flow analysis to prove mechanical integrity and performance under real operating conditions. Don’t assume it works; show that it does.
• Specify materials, wall thicknesses, and support methods that meet safety, regulatory, and operational requirements in a high-hazard nuclear environment.
• Produce the detailed engineering drawings, BOMs, and procurement specifications that turn your designs into hardware.
• Make component trade-offs that balance technical performance against availability and lead time, keeping the facility on schedule without compromising quality or safety.
• Work closely with process engineers, structural engineers, and procurement so the systems you design integrate seamlessly with the rest of the plant.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Evidence of exceptional ability (prior projects, portfolio of work, completed products, etc.).
• 2+ years of experience in mechanical design for industrial plants, chemical facilities, or similar high-hazard environments.
• Strong command of fluid mechanics, structural analysis, and material selection.
• Hands-on experience with CAD tools for mechanical design and layout.
• Ability to read P&IDs and process documentation and turn them into detailed, buildable mechanical designs.
• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to drive alignment across disciplines.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required security clearance and access authorization.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in nuclear, chemical, petrochemical, or gas processing facilities.
  
• Proficiency in piping design standards (ASME, ANSI, or equivalent) and familiarity with pressure vessel codes.
• Experience with stress analysis tools and piping flexibility analysis (e.g., Caesar II or similar).
• Knowledge of compressible flow, vacuum systems, and cryogenic piping design.
• Procurement experience on large-scale facilities, including vendor engagement and managing long-lead components.
• Experience bringing a first-of-a-kind or large capital project from design through construction and commissioning.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or progress toward one.
• A track record of thriving in fast-paced, multidisciplinary, resource-constrained environments, with a bias toward action and the judgment to balance technical rigor with practical constraints.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary.

Equal Opportunity Employer

General Matter is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with General Matter is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary range for this role is $90,000–$185,000 annually. 

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. Please note that the stated salary range is an estimate and may be adjusted based on market conditions, business needs, or other factors. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.