Senior Mechanical Engineer, Fuels Program

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.

Kairos Power is seeking a highly motivated Senior Mechanical Engineer with expertise in the development and implementation of chemical and physical processes stream related equipment, to support the Kairos Power fuels program. In this role, you will work within an engineering team to design, construct, commission and optimize performance of the process equipment necessary for TRISO annular fuel pebble fabrication. You will also work cross-functionally with facility operations, facility engineers, quality assurance, and EHS to enable supporting functions.

• Design, build and test prototype assemblies to demonstrate functionality and performance under prototypic conditions.

• Lead and participate in design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, and operation of First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) equipment supporting KP Annular Fuel Production Systems.

• Performs and reviews engineering calculations, analyses and design evaluations necessary to substantiate equipment and system designs.

• Monitor equipment performance, recommend and perform design modifications to enhance system reliability based on operational feedback.

• Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and maintenance documentation to ensure consistent and safe operations.

• Lead and participate in system integration across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software teams to deliver seamless, high-performing solutions.

• Ensure compliance of all systems with applicable industry codes, safety regulations and site-specific standards..

• Identify opportunities for automation within the Pebble Development Laboratory, implement solutions and measure impact using defined cost-savings metrics.

• Lead investigations into technical issues, perform root cause analyses, implement corrective actions, and support engineering changes and verification processes.

• Leverage internal manufacturing team and management of external vendors to manufacture/procure mechanical and automated systems, applying defined equipment selection criteria and manufacturability analysis.

• Lead and participate in design and safety reviews to validate designs prior to fabrication or implementation.

• Generate and maintain design records, equipment specifications and test reports compliant with internal quality and regulatory standards.

• Manage project timelines, budgets and deliverables for assigned systems or subprojects.

• Train and mentor team members, fostering technical growth and collaboration.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar discipline.

• 6+ years of relevant engineering experience in a chemical, pharmaceutical, industrial, manufacturing, or comparable process-based setting.

• Experience designing, developing, commissioning, or supporting mechanical or process equipment in an industrial or manufacturing environment.

• Experience in generating Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Heat & Material Balances (H&MBs), Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), equipment lists, and utility consumption