Senior Mechanical Engineer, High-Temperature Fluid Systems and Component Design

Company Overview

Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Job Summary 

The Chemistry Control System (CCS) Team is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer with experience in full cycle design and construction of pilot or industrial scale fluid mechanical systems and components for high temperature fluids or other large, complex tests and experiments. 

The successful candidate will lead and coordinate the detailed CCS design including vessels and piping, instrumentation/sensor interfaces, fluid-mechanical equipment and components, and system structures. The position requires a strong aptitude for mechanical design engineering analysis, systems integration, novel component development, and industrial or pilot scale system deployment. You will be expected to regularly interface with multi-disciplinary teams, including piping and vessel design, plant process design, instrumentation controls and electrical engineering, and manufacturing. This role will work closely with the Chemistry Control System Lead Engineer and will be a key contributor to the Hermes Reactor design, Kairos Power’s first-of-a-kind low-power demonstration reactor. 

Responsibilities

• Leads the mechanical design and deployment of high-temperature fluid systems, integrating vessels, piping, instrumentation, heating, and structures.

• Develops detailed CAD models, mechanical drawings, and P&IDs to support design reviews, analysis, and fabrication.

• Designs or guides the design and selection of system components like pumps, valves, heaters, filters, and instruments with internal teams and outside vendors.

• Conducts thermal, fluid, and structural analyses to validate and optimize designs.

• Leads engineering analyses and studies, prepare and review technical documentation, and delivers clear presentations and briefings to leadership, vendors, and external reviewers.

• Leads and participates in design reviews and risk assessments to align on design direction, identify gaps and open items, and gather stakeholder feedback.

• Collaborates closely with cross-disciplinary teams, including manufacturing, process design, instrumentation & controls, and engineering testing.

• Generates and maintains interfaces with other engineering subsystems.

• Works with testing and R&D teams on engineering tests aimed at characterizing subcomponents and inform designs.

• Oversees and coordinates component and system fabrication, commissioning, troubleshooting, and operation.

• Mentors and reviews work performed by early career engineers

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Nuclear, or other engineering-related discipline

• 7+ of demonstrated R&D or industry experience in hands-on mechanical design and deployment in chemical, power generation, oil & gas, nuclear, defense, or aerospace industries.

• Experience designing large-scale engineering tests, fluid handling systems, process equipment, or complex systems and components 

• Experience leading system integration efforts and managing interfaces across mechanical, electrical, and control systems

• Expertise in 3D CAD design and creating fabrication/assembly drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, Autodesk etc.)

• Experience performing thermal-mechanical engineering analyses and with FEA codes or software (ANSYS, COMSOL, Abaqus etc.).

• Experience delivering designs under mechanical codes and standards such as ASME

• Knowledge of DFM principles and GD&T standards/practices

• Demonstrated ability to drive design projects from concept to deployment in complex, interdisciplinary environments.

• Demonstrated ability to deliver designs through manufacturing, deployment, and operation.

• Experience developing test plans, assembly procedures, and operational procedures

• Experience designing or deploying high-temperature fluid systems for molten salt, high-temperature gas, liquid metals, or similar systems is a plus 

• Experience with design, development, and manufacturing of high-temperature components like pumps, valves, sensors, or processing apparatuses is a plus 

• Knowledge of CFD analysis tools (Fluent, Star CCM) is a plus

• Background designing for nuclear-grade service, corrosive environments, high temperatures, or other extreme service conditions is a plus 

• 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

Physical Demands

• Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts and the like

• Adjusting, moving, transporting, installing, positioning, or removing objects up to 30 pounds in all directions

• Use of machine and hand tools

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods

• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another

Environmental Conditions

• General office environment

• Laboratory environment

• Occasional manufacturing and industrial plant environments

• Noisy environments

• High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced

Safety and PPE

• Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs

• Manipulating, cleaning and disposal of hazardous materials

• Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions

• Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes

Travel

• Some travel may be required (10-15%) 

Certification

• None

Additional Requirements

• Occasionally requires schedule flexibility 

• Occasionally requires extended, or non-standard hours to support deployment activities and critical project timelines 

The salary range for this position is $140,600 to $165,400 for employees working onsite at our Alameda, CA headquarters. The range provided in this job posting represents the typical range or starting rate of candidates hired in California. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include your education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, the market data for your work location, and a comparison to other employees already in the role.

#LI-Onsite

About our Benefits

We know that we have some of the most talented and dedicated employees, and we believe in rewarding them accordingly. If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below:

• Competitive compensation packages

• Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents

• Paid Vacation

• 401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)

Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. Kairos Power is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We actively welcome people of different experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Kairos Power participates in E-Verify.

Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.

Note: You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy’s general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. The following questions are intended to determine the licensing requirements that may apply. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/10/appendix-A_to_part_810