Reactor Operations Engineer

About the Role
We are seeking a Reactor Systems Engineer to support the technical integration of a first-of-a-kind reactor. With no operating predecessor to copy and no mature supply chain, you will help ensure that design decisions across nuclear physics, thermal-hydraulics, controls, structures, materials, fuel, and licensing come together into a reactor that works safely and is delivered to customers on time.

This role is hands-on technically — you'll dig into thermal models, component specs, and subsystem designs — while also building the collaboration and communication skills needed to work across engineering disciplines. You'll work closely with senior systems engineers and discipline leads to learn how a fast-moving nuclear hardware program stays coherent. Writing is a core part of the job: specifications, decision memos, and system descriptions are how our team stays aligned.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Support translation between reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, materials, controls, mechanical design, manufacturing, and regulatory teams, helping surface assumptions and tensions that appear at team boundaries.

• Help maintain libraries of P&IDs, sensors, and subsystem specifications to support alignment from design and analysis through reactor operations.

• Assist in identifying cross-cutting risks early and help drive them toward resolution.

• Work with safety analysis and licensing teams to help keep design decisions, safety cases, and regulatory submissions consistent.

• Support development of design basis, safety classification, and technical specification documentation.

• Support component and subsystem testing efforts, including help with test plans, data collection, and feeding results back into design.

• Help maintain the technical baseline (requirements, configuration, change control, risk registers, and documentation) using lightweight processes scaled to a fast-moving startup.

• Communicate clearly with engineers and leadership; contribute to technical documentation for regulators and customers under guidance from senior staff.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• BS in nuclear, mechanical, aerospace, systems, or a related engineering discipline.

• 3–5 years of full-time professional engineering experience, with some exposure to systems engineering, integration, or cross-disciplinary technical work on complex hardware.

• Ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.

• Developing experience collaborating on cross-functional technical efforts.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear technical documents.

• Good organizational skills: able to track open items and follow through on assigned work.

• Ability to apply first-principles thinking and contribute sound judgment amid ambiguity and incomplete data.

• Exposure to highly regulated or high-consequence industries (e.g., nuclear, aerospace, defense, advanced energy, medical devices, semiconductor equipment) preferred.

Desired Qualifications & Skills

• Experience in first-of-a-kind or early-stage hardware programs, even in a supporting capacity.

• Familiarity with nuclear reactor design, safety, or regulatory frameworks (e.g., 10 CFR 50/52/53, NQA-1, GDCs, defense in depth) a plus but not required.

• Startup or small-team experience, or strong interest in working in that kind of environment.

Additional Requirements

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission.

• Eligibility to work in the U.S. and ability to meet export control requirements.

Benefits and Perks

• Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.

• Daily catered lunch. Free snacks and drinks.

• Flexible PTO policy. Remote workday allocation.