Mechanical Cognizant System Engineer

About Aalo Atomics

Aalo Atomics is pioneering a new era in clean energy with factory-fabricated microreactors designed to deliver affordable, scalable, and reliable nuclear power. Our mission is to make nuclear energy globally accessible, starting with the Aalo-1, a 10 MWe reactor leveraging cutting-edge safety, modularity, and efficiency. Based in Austin, TX, we’re rapidly growing as we work to deploy the world’s first fleet of advanced microreactors. Join us and help revolutionize energy for a sustainable future.

About the role

Aalo Atomics is seeking a Mechanical Cognizant System Engineer (CSE) to provide lifecycle technical ownership of assigned mechanical systems at the Critical Assembly Facility (CAF) on the Aalo-X site.

Initial system assignments are expected to include the Critical Assembly Vessel (CAV) and Reactivity Control System (RCS).

As the CSE, you will be the technical owner of your assigned systems throughout their operating lifecycle - why they were designed as they were, what requirements they must meet, how they are configured, how they are performing, and what must be done when they are maintained, modified, or begin to degrade.

You will work closely with Operations, Maintenance, Nuclear Safety, QA, vendors, project engineers, and the Design Authority to keep assigned systems safe, reliable, correctly configured, and technically defensible.

What you'll do

Cognizant System Engineering

• Maintain detailed technical knowledge of assigned system functions, design requirements, performance criteria, interfaces, operating limits, and current configuration, including traceability among requirements, physical configuration, safety-basis functions where applicable, and controlled documentation.
• Serve as the principal engineering point of contact for assigned systems.
• Maintain System Design Descriptions, drawings, calculations, specifications, vendor information, technical evaluations, and applicable engineering inputs to procedures.
• Maintain awareness of system interfaces with electrical, I&C, structural, facility, and reactor systems.

System Health & Performance Monitoring

• Monitor system health using surveillance results, inspection data, operating history, maintenance history, equipment condition, and field observations, and review test and surveillance results against approved design and performance requirements.
• Trend system parameters and equipment performance to identify degradation before required functionality is lost.
• Perform or support system walkdowns and material-condition assessments.
• Identify recurring equipment issues and develop technically sound corrective actions.
• Escalate adverse trends or conditions that challenge system requirements or safety functions.

Operations & Maintenance Support

• Provide engineering support for system operation, troubleshooting, maintenance, testing, and emergent equipment issues.
• Supply design-basis and technical input to maintenance work planning.
• Evaluate degraded and nonconforming conditions involving assigned systems, and support equipment-failure investigations, root-cause evaluations, and corrective actions.
• Establish or review technical acceptance criteria for maintenance and modification testing.
• Review completed work and test results to verify restoration of required system configuration and performance.

Configuration & Change Management

• Participate in change reviews affecting assigned systems.
• Evaluate changes for impacts to requirements, interfaces, performance, safety functions, documentation, testing, and equipment qualification.
• Support USQ screening/evaluations by providing accurate technical information.
• Support physical configuration walkdowns and reconcile discrepancies between field conditions and controlled documentation.
• Support Engineering Change Requests and Engineering Change Notices through implementation and closure.

Equipment Lifecycle & Procurement

• Monitor replacement-part availability and equipment obsolescence.
• Develop or review technical requirements for replacement equipment and components.
• Support equivalent-replacement and substitution evaluations.
• Review supplier and vendor technical information.

Modifications & Future Facilities

• Support design, installation, testing, and turnover of modifications to assigned systems.
• Participate in future Aalo-0 and Aalo-X reactor design reviews with emphasis on operability, maintainability, reliability, testability, and configuration control.
• Support commissioning and turnover of new systems.
• Assume responsibility for additional systems as qualifications, workload, and organizational needs evolve.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of relevant engineering experience in nuclear power, DOE facilities, power generation, high-hazard industry, aerospace, petrochemical facilities, or another regulated environment.
• Strong mechanical system-engineering fundamentals.
• Experience supporting and troubleshooting operating mechanical equipment.
• Ability to interpret mechanical drawings, P&IDs, system descriptions, engineering calculations, specifications, and vendor documentation.
• Experience with mechanical equipment such as pressure boundaries, actuators, mechanical drives, valves, structures, or similar high-reliability equipment.
• Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.
• Ability to independently drive technical issues through resolution.

Preferred

• 10+ years of relevant mechanical or nuclear plant engineering experience.
• Previous experience as a Cognizant System Engineer, System Engineer, Responsible System Engineer, or equivalent technical system owner.
• DOE nuclear-facility experience.
• Familiarity with DOE-STD-1073 configuration-management principles.
• Experience with nuclear safety-classified or special-treatment SSCs.
• Experience with USQ processes, nuclear work control, design control, and corrective-action programs.
• Experience reviewing surveillance, inspection, or operational data for system-health purposes.
• Knowledge of applicable ASME, ASME B&PV, ASME B31, AWS, or other relevant engineering codes and standards.
• Professional Engineer license.
• Experience with Teamcenter or comparable configuration/document-management systems.

Requirements:

• Based in the United States
• Willing to work on-site in Idaho Falls, Idaho

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary based on technical level
• Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Corporate Gym Membership

Additional Information:

Aalo Atomics provides a collaborative and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, intellectually challenging careers, and competitive compensation. Aalo Atomics is an equal opportunity employer and considers all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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.

Direct applicants only. No recruiters or staffing agencies, please.