Aalo Atomics
Advanced nuclear technology licensing and deployment
Senior Controls Development Engineer
Must be based in the United States and work on-site at the Austin headquarters.
About the job
- A bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline is required.
- At least 7 years of hands-on experience in industrial controls engineering, automation, or robotics integration is required.
- Expert-level PLC programming using Structured Text, Ladder Logic, Function Block, and/or IPCs on Rockwell, Siemens, or Beckhoff platforms is required.
- Experience with HMI and SCADA development using FactoryTalk, Ignition, TIA Portal, or similar systems is required.
- Hands-on experience commissioning automated production equipment through FAT/SAT and production ramp is required.
- A solid understanding of servo and motion control and industrial robotics integration is required.
- Experience executing safety risk assessments for automated processes and building safeguards that minimize risks is required.
- Experience working cross-functionally to deliver automation systems from concept through production handoff is required.
- Must be based in the United States.
- Must be willing to work on-site at the headquarters in Austin, Texas.
- Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Persons in compliance with 10 CFR Part 810 and may not hold non-compliant foreign citizenships.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, stand for extended periods, and work in confined spaces and at heights is required.
- Ability to perform frequent bending, kneeling, climbing, and work in various positions is required.
- Ability to use welding personal protective equipment and other required personal protective equipment is required.
- Design and architect PLC/HMI-based control systems for automated and semi-automated manufacturing lines covering welding, machining, assembly, material handling, and inspection.
- Develop and program PLC logic, HMI screens, and SCADA systems.
- Specify and select instrumentation, sensors, actuators, drives, motion control systems, safety devices, and industrial networking hardware.
- Integrate articulated arms, collaborative robots, and gantries into manufacturing cells with appropriate safety protocols.
- Commission and validate production equipment on the factory floor from FAT/SAT through full production handoff.
- Develop system functional specifications, control narratives, I/O lists, network architecture drawings, and panel design packages.
- Implement industrial communication networks including EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, PROFINET, OPC-UA, MQTT, and Modbus.
- Design safety systems in compliance with NFPA 79, ISO 13849, and IEC 62443.
- Collaborate with MES and IT teams on data acquisition, recipe management, and production traceability systems.
- Drive schedule and throughput on automation equipment by identifying risks early, solving problems, and keeping commissioning milestones on track.
- Develop and document factory standards for robot programming, PLC/robot communications, safety systems, wiring, and pneumatics.
- Troubleshoot complex electromechanical systems and conduct root cause analysis for production issues.
- Mentor junior controls engineers and technicians and establish controls standards and templates for factory-wide deployment and maintenance.
- Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments, including NQA-1, AS9100, ISO 13485, or ISO 9001.
- Experience integrating controls with MES or ERP platforms.
- Experience using IPCs for automation and control.
- Background in automated welding systems such as orbital TIG, electron beam, or laser welding.
- Experience in a greenfield or major capital-project factory buildout.
- Knowledge of IEC 61131-3 programming best practices and ISA-88 batch standards.
- TÜV Functional Safety Engineer or CFSE certification.
- Experience building controls standards and templates for multi-line factory deployments.
- Experience developing technology packages for Kuka, Fanuc, or ABB industrial robots.
- Experience integrating robotics with CNC equipment.
- Experience with offline robot programming and virtual commissioning simulations.
- Background in routine robot data acquisition and analysis.
- Prior experience in a vertically integrated hardware company where engineers build what they design.
- Experience writing code in Python, C++, or Rust and using artificial intelligence effectively.
- Strong communication skills for conveying technical reasoning and mission-critical messaging clearly.
About the company
Aalo Atomics develops and deploys advanced nuclear energy systems to provide reliable, low-carbon power. It licenses technology, forms partnerships, and runs energy production projects for governments, large corporations, and energy providers. The company relies on multidisciplinary R&D to bring nuclear solutions to market, drawing talent from computer hardware, software, aerospace, and automotive sectors and navigating regulatory approval as part of its business model. Unlike wind and solar, its products aim to deliver continuous electricity at competitive costs, supported by a diverse ecosystem of partners and clients. Aalo also focuses on public education about nuclear energy’s risks and benefits and to attract the next generation of engineers. Its goal is to usher in a second Atomic Age by delivering abundant, dependable clean energy to power humanity for generations.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series B
Total Funding
$133.3M
Headquarters
Austin, Texas
Founded
2023
Get referred to Aalo Atomics
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Aalo raised over $136 million, then claimed $300 million-plus by August 2026.
- Rockwell Automation and Baker Hughes supply critical systems, strengthening industrial credibility.
- Aalo plans a 400,000-square-foot Austin expansion and 100-200 new hires after July 2026.
What critics are saying
- Aalo still depends on DOE pathways; NRC commercial licensing remains unresolved for Aalo Pods.
- The Georgetown facility opens January 2028, stretching manufacturing scale-up far beyond criticality.
- A $500 million Series C negotiation signals heavy capital needs and execution pressure.
What makes Aalo Atomics unique
- Aalo reached criticality July 4, 2026, validating its Aalo-X reactor under DOE oversight.
- Crusoe partnered July 30, 2026, to deploy Aalo Pods for AI data centers.
- Aalo uses Microsoft and NVIDIA permitting tools, cutting permitting timelines 92%.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?
Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 2%1 year growth
↑ 6%2 year growth
↑ 15%Austin-based Aalo Atomics is planning a 200,000-square-foot production and manufacturing facility in Georgetown, Texas, approximately 40 miles north of its headquarters. The company builds modular nuclear power plants aimed at making nuclear energy more affordable for data centres. According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Aalo will invest approximately $25 million to renovate a warehouse, which will include a lab, machine shop, and production floor. Construction is expected to begin 15 November and complete by January 2028. Founded in 2023, Aalo achieved criticality for its test reactor at the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory in July. Texas estimates it must fill 10,000 nuclear energy jobs over the next three to five years as data centres expand across the state.
Crusoe eyes nuclear power for next AI data center expansion. August 1, 2026 - Crusoe and Aalo Atomics have agreed to develop what they describe as the first AI data center powered by a modular nuclear reactor, beginning with a proof-of-concept deployment at Idaho National Laboratory in 2027. The partnership links rapidly expanding AI infrastructure demand with next-generation nuclear technology as electricity availability becomes an increasingly decisive constraint on data center expansion globally. The AI industry's biggest bottleneck is no longer chips alone. Power has moved into the center of every conversation surrounding large-scale computing. Utilities are warning about capacity limits. Grid interconnection queues continue growing. Developers are delaying [...] [... Check source for end of article...]
Crusoe and Aalo Atomics form strategic partnership with goal of deploying first nuclear-powered AI factory. Commercial Partnership Builds Upon Aalo's Recent Criticality; Demonstrates American Leadership in AI and Energy Table of contents DENVER, Colorado and AUSTIN, Texas, July 30, 2026 - Crusoe, the industry's first vertically integrated AI infrastructure provider, and Aalo Atomics, the company building fully modular nuclear reactors (XMRs) to power modern AI data centers, today announce a strategic partnership focused on developing and deploying the first nuclear-powered AI Factory data center designed to validate nuclear power's effectiveness with AI workloads. "The next generation of AI infrastructure demands power that is reliable, abundant, clean and at scale, and Aalo's nuclear reactors are built to meet that need," said Cully Cavness, Co-Founder, President and Chief Strategy Officer, Crusoe. "One of Crusoe's core values is to 'bend the arc of energy toward sustainability,' and within that value we embrace the principle of using Crusoe's market position to support and accelerate energy innovation. In line with our core values, we look forward to Aalo and Crusoe jointly demonstrating to the industry the first AI data center powered by a small modular nuclear reactor." Aalo will initially power a Crusoe Spark(TM) modular data center, running Crusoe Cloud, in 2027 as a proof of concept. Looking forward, Aalo and Crusoe intend to deploy Aalo Pods and Aalo's 50 MWe XMR power plants at Crusoe data centers, by the end of 2029. "As one of only four companies to reach criticality by President Trump's deadline for companies in the DOE Reactor Pilot Program, we are now well positioned for not only the full power operation of our 10 MWe Aalo-X reactor, but also the deployment of the Aalo Pod to power commercial data centers," said Matt Loszak, CEO, Aalo Atomics. "We are now the only nuclear technology company to design and build a nuclear reactor fueled to produce 10MW of electricity- an achievement that positions Aalo as the premier power provider for the modern data center." Aalo has already begun work on its second nuclear reactor, testing a commercial-scale system that will produce electricity and power for an on-site Crusoe Spark(TM) modular data center. About Crusoe. As the AI factory company, Crusoe is on a mission to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence. The company provides a reliable, scalable, cost-effective, energy-first solution for AI infrastructure. By harnessing large-scale energy sources, building AI-optimized data centers, and delivering a powerful AI cloud platform, Crusoe empowers its customers and partners to build the future faster. About Aalo Atomics. Aalo Atomics, based in Austin, Texas, builds nuclear reactors to power modern AI data centers. Founded in 2023, Aalo has secured over $136M in funding to date from multiple investors, including Valor Equity Partners, 50Y, Fine Structure Ventures, Hitachi Ventures, NRG Energy, Vamos Ventures, Tishman Speyer, Kindred Ventures, Harpoon Ventures, Crescent Enterprises, Crosscut, Alumni Ventures, MCJ, Gaingels, and Nucleation Capital, among others. To learn more, visit www.aalo.com. Media contact. [email protected]
Crusoe partners with Aalo on nuclear-powered AI data center deployment at Idaho National Lab. Crusoe will deploy a Spark unit at the site, which will be powered by a small modular reactor July 30, 2026 Crusoe has partnered with small modular reactor (SMR) developer Aalo Atomics to develop and deploy the world's first nuclear-powered AI data center. The partnership will see Crusoe deploy one of its Crusoe Spark modular data centers at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in 2027, as a proof-of-concept project. The Spark unit will be powered directly by Aalo's Pod reactor, a 50MWe reactor that comprises five individual Aalo-1 microreactors (each with a capacity of 10MWe) paired with a single power-generating turbine. Following this, the companies said that they intend to deploy Aalo Pods across Crusoe's data center portfolio by the end of 2029. "The next generation of AI infrastructure demands power that is reliable, abundant, clean, and at scale, and Aalo's nuclear reactors are built to meet that need," said Cully Cavness, co-founder, president, and chief strategy officer, Crusoe. "One of Crusoe's core values is to 'bend the arc of energy toward sustainability,' and within that value we embrace the principle of using Crusoe's market position to support and accelerate energy innovation. In line with our core values, we look forward to Aalo and Crusoe jointly demonstrating to the industry the first AI data center powered by a small modular nuclear reactor." Aalo was one of four advanced nuclear companies to reach criticality of its reactor earlier this month, as part of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Reactor Pilot Program. The company reported that it had achieved criticality for its Aalo-X Critical Test Reactor in the early morning hours of July 4, 2026, at the INL, meeting the deadline stipulated in the program. Criticality is when a nuclear reactor achieves a self-sustaining chain reaction. The company broke ground on the test reactor in September of last year. The company joined Antares, which was the first to achieve criticality, as well as Valar and Deployable Energy. "As one of only four companies to reach criticality by President Trump's deadline for companies in the DOE Reactor Pilot Program, we are now well positioned for not only the full power operation of our 10 MWe Aalo-X reactor, but also the deployment of the Aalo Pod to power commercial data centers," said Matt Loszak, CEO, Aalo Atomics. "We are now the only nuclear technology company to design and build a nuclear reactor fueled to produce 10MW of electricity - an achievement that positions Aalo as the premier power provider for the modern data center." The Aalo-X reactor is a precursor to the company's flagship offering, dubbed the Aalo pod. The 50MW microreactor comprises five 10MWe reactors driving a single turbine. It is sodium and air-cooled, meaning it requires no external water source. The Crusoe Spark is a prefabricated AI data center housed in a shipping-sized container, announced in June of last year. Crusoe claims it is a fully integrated AI solution that integrates GPU racks, cooling, power distribution, remote monitoring, and fire suppression into a transportable chassis. Each unit has a capacity of just under 1MW. According to Crusoe, the unit will feed into the Crusoe Cloud. The deal is Crusoe's second with a nuclear power developer and the first with an advanced nuclear developer. Last October, the firm partnered with US nuclear energy firm Blue Energy to develop an up to 1.5GW nuclear-powered data center campus located in the Port of Victoria, Victoria, Texas. Power will initially be delivered via natural gas as a bridge to nuclear power. More in north america.
Aalo Atomics has selected Rockwell Automation as the control platform provider for its Aalo-X test reactor, which powers modular nuclear plants for AI data centres. The collaboration supports Aalo's participation in the US Department of Energy Reactor Pilot Programme. Aalo reached criticality on its pilot reactor two weeks ago, ahead of its 4 July 2026 deadline. This marks a significant milestone for next-generation nuclear deployment in the United States. Rockwell Automation provides integrated control and information solutions, including its ControlLogix platform, to support reactor operations and system reliability. The platform delivers scalable control across the full lifecycle, from design to operation. The Aalo-X test reactor serves as a testbed for rapid innovation in modular reactor technology, allowing real-world validation of system performance and operational readiness.