Full-Time

Manufacturing Engineer

Reactor Factory

Updated on 8/20/2026

Forge Atomics

Forge Atomics

Factory-built water-cooled nuclear reactors

Compensation Overview

$115k - $150k/yr

+ Equity + Discretionary bonuses + Employee Stock Purchase Plan

El Segundo, CA, USA

In Person

Relocation is required if not already local. Travel to suppliers and reactor construction sites in other states may be required.

Bachelor's

Category
Mechanical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Welding
Assembly
Data Analysis
Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in manufacturing engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, or a related technical discipline is required.
  • At least 1 year of engineering experience developing manufacturing processes or designing, building, or testing hardware is required; internship and school-project experience qualifies.
  • The position requires working extended hours and weekends as necessary.
  • The position requires travel to suppliers and reactor construction sites in other states as necessary.
  • The applicant must be able to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls.
Responsibilities
  • Provide end-to-end ownership of high-rate reactor production-line design, bring-up, operations, and improvements.
  • Perform hands-on design-for-manufacturability engineering during the reactor development cycle and serve as the primary liaison between design and production teams.
  • Own reactor-component manufacturability from first prototype builds through introduction into a high-rate manufacturing environment.
  • Contribute to design reviews as an expert in design for manufacturability, design for inspectability, yield and cost improvements, supplier assessments, and quality control.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for nonconforming product, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, failure investigations, and corrective actions.
  • Lead initial supply-chain development for critical materials and outside processes, including forgings, plate and tube stock, and specialty fabrication services.
  • Own the design and validation of fixtures, tooling, and new technology introduced to the production line.
  • Prepare engineering documentation for the transition from development to production, including assembly procedures, test and inspection procedures, standard operating procedures, process travelers, bills of materials, and mechanical drawings.
  • Lead continuous-improvement efforts for established production lines and products.
  • Perform structured root-cause analysis of in-process failures.
Desired Qualifications
  • Use data and analysis to make fast, data-driven decisions.
  • Understand engineering fundamentals and core manufacturing processes.
  • Perform trade studies and make clear recommendations using first principles and engineering fundamentals with partial information.
  • Have hands-on shop experience in machining, welding, fabrication, or assembly, and be comfortable reading and applying geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
  • Have experience with computer numerical control programming and computer-aided manufacturing workflows, process control and capability analysis, or production-line ramping.
  • Have experience in a nimble engineering organization or highly technical position requiring an entrepreneurial approach under tight time or budget constraints.
  • Have experience building hardware or a demonstrated interest in contributing to physical work products.
  • Have demonstrated rapid growth and increasing responsibility within an organization.
  • Have experience leading or working on an engineering competition team such as Formula SAE, Baja SAE, RoboSub, Combat Robotics, or a similar team.

Forge Atomics designs and builds factory-built, water-cooled nuclear fission reactors to provide reliable, carbon-free baseload power. Its core product is the Ember 25 MWe reactor, with a subscale Ember Mini prototype planned before moving to full-scale deployment. The reactors are manufactured in a factory setting, using proven water-cooled reactor technology with decades of operating experience, and then shipped as modules to site where they are installed, commissioned, and operated. The company aims to lower costs and speed deployment by using mature supply chains and a mass-production approach instead of on-site, bespoke construction. Its safety approach relies on passive safety features designed to make accidents physically unlikely. The ultimate goal is to offer safe, scalable nuclear power that complements or replaces intermittent renewables, improving energy security and reducing environmental impact.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

N/A

Founded

N/A

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Forge Atomics posted active El Segundo hiring in July 2026.
  • The company is recruiting nuclear, mechanical, and operations talent for Ember.
  • Water-cooled design leverages 60 years of operating history, reducing novelty versus exotic SMRs.

What critics are saying

  • No public funding, customer, or regulator disclosure signals commercialization risk remains acute.
  • Hiring still centers El Segundo operations and engineering, proving Ember remains pre-revenue.
  • Q4 2028 criticality deadline misses invite capital exhaustion before licensing and construction finish.

What makes Forge Atomics unique

  • Matt Khudari, Rex Serpe, and Chris McPherson bring SpaceX-style manufacturing discipline.
  • Forge Atomics builds Ember as a factory-built, water-cooled 25 MWe reactor.
  • Its website targets Q3 2026 prototypes and Q4 2028 criticality.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Stock Options

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Paid Vacation

Paid Parental Leave

Paid Sick Leave