Full-Time

Mechanical Engineer

Reactor System Design

Posted on 3/21/2025

Kairos Power

Kairos Power

501-1,000 employees

Designs, licenses, and demonstrates advanced reactors

Compensation Overview

$106.3k - $125.1k/yr

Alameda, CA, USA

In Person

On-site role at Alameda, CA; travel up to 10%.

Category
Mechanical Engineering (2)
,
Requirements
  • Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering or similar fields of study
  • 2+ years of experience in engineering design
  • Deep knowledge of ASME Section VIII, Section IX, AWS, and nuclear welding standards
  • Excellent verbal, written communication/presentation, and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work with highly collaborative team
  • Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently
  • Prioritizes and ensures safety of one self and others
  • Ability to proactively collect, manage and transfer knowledge
  • Ability to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges and issues
  • Travel: Some travel may be required (10%)
  • Physical Demands: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts and the like; Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods; Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another; Communicating with others to exchange information
  • Environmental Conditions: General office environment; Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned; High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced
  • Safety and PPE: Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs; Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions; Color identification: detecting, distinguishing, recognizing and identifying colors; Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes
  • Travel: Some travel may be required (10%)
Responsibilities
  • Develop mechanical design information, including functional requirements, for major FHR systems, structures and components, and document in design packages
  • Perform mechanical design tradeoff and optimization studies
  • Create and update CAD models for FHR systems, structures, and components
  • Create engineering drawings, including dimensioning and tolerancing
  • Perform static and dynamic calculations for systems, structures, and components to evaluate stresses due to thermal seismic, thermal, and primary loads using analytical and FEA methods
  • Maintain knowledge of and assess compliance with applicable codes and standards of ASME, ANSI, and ASTM
  • Proficient in solid mechanics, failure theories and stress criteria at high temperatures for alloy steels or composite materials
  • Ability to visualize construction, maintenance and operational constraints affecting plant layout and design of structures, systems, and components
  • Develop feasibility studies, cost-benefit analysis, and optimization studies to support cost and design targets
  • Support manufacturing of FHR components including the DFM studies, evaluations of manufacturing plans and review of inspection reports
  • Publish technical reports documenting calculations, analysis, design requirements, descriptions, and test results
  • Other duties as assigned
Desired Qualifications
  • 2+ years of experience in CAD modeling and mechanical design
  • 2+ years of experience using analytical methods and FEA simulation to perform thermal and stress analysis
  • Experience with Codes and Standards, specifically ASME BPVC Section VIII; experience in Section III Division 5, is a plus
  • Experience with design and analysis of nuclear mechanical systems, such as reactor vessel and internals is a plus
  • Familiarity with heavy industry, ASME pressure vessel manufacturing, or direct experience working in machine or welding shops is a plus
  • Broad experience across plant engineering topics is a plus

Kairos Power designs, licenses, and demonstrates advanced nuclear reactors, headed by the KP-FHR which uses fluoride salt coolant and high operating temperatures to generate electricity. The system focuses on low water use and near-zero carbon emissions, pursuing an integrated path from design to regulatory licensing and demonstration to prove safety and economics. The company distinguishes itself by aiming to beat natural gas on cost and by a clear licensing/demo program coupled with environmental and grid-resilience performance. Its goal is to scale safe, affordable nuclear technology through government support, investments, licensing deals, and long-term service agreements to help decarbonize electricity.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$20K

Headquarters

Alameda, California

Founded

2016

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Google-TVA deal secures 50 MWe offtake for Hermes 2 by 2030.
  • DOE Nuclear Dominance program accelerates TRISO fuel supply by 2033.
  • BWXT partnership scales commercial TRISO production for deployments.

What critics are saying

  • Hermes 1 completion slips to 2029, delaying Hermes 2 operations.
  • TerraPower's 42-month Wyoming reactor steals Google data center contracts.
  • NRG PALLAS tests expose TRISO cracking, forcing NRC redesigns.

What makes Kairos Power unique

  • KP-FHR uses TRISO pebble fuel and Flibe salt coolant from Oak Ridge origins.
  • First NRC-permitted power-producing Gen IV reactor with Hermes 2.
  • Factory-built modules from Albuquerque campus enable modular SMR assembly.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Vacation

401(k) Company Match

401(k) Retirement Plan

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

1%
NucNet
Sep 3rd, 2025
Kairos And BWXT To Collaborate On Commercial Production Of Triso Nuclear Fuel

Kairos is developing Generation IV fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) technology.

Chattanooga Times Free Press
Aug 18th, 2025
TVA, Google team up on advanced nuclear reactor project

Kairos Power will sell electricity to the Tennessee Valley Authority through an agreement announced Monday, and TVA will pass clean energy credits to its customer Google, which operates two data centers in the region.

Teknovation.biz
Jun 3rd, 2025
Ornl And Elementl Power Collaborate On A Data-Driven Approach For New Nuclear

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Elementl Power have teamed up to advance a data-driven siting approach for advanced nuclear projects. The work started through a U.S. Department of Energy... The post ORNL and Elementl Power collaborate on a data-driven approach for new nuclear appeared first on Teknovation.biz.

Teknovation.biz
May 8th, 2025
Kairos Power Completes First Installation Of Nuclear Safety-Related Concrete For The Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor

Kairos Power announced on Thursday that the company has completed the first installation of nuclear safety-related concrete for the Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor, marking the start of “nuclear construction” on... The post Kairos Power completes first installation of nuclear safety-related concrete for the Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor appeared first on Teknovation.biz.

NEI Magazine
Mar 28th, 2025
NRG PALLAS to test fuel for Kairos SMR

Netherlands research institute NRG PALLAS has signed a contract with US-based Kairos Power to assess materials and fuels that will be used in the small modular reactors (SMRs) Kairos is developing to power Google data centres.

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