{"id":1515081,"url":"https://alion.io/job/kairospower-senior-mechanical-engineer-fuels-program","title":"Senior Mechanical Engineer, Fuels Program","company":{"id":97164,"name":"Kairospower","domain":"kairospower.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/kairospower","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":6,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-10-01T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Albuquerque, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":94000,"max_usd":181000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":2941},"experience_years_min":6,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"SolidWorks","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-30T01:20:16Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-30","last_verified_at":"2026-10-01T05:56:37Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"Company Overview\nKairos 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.\nJob Summary \nKairos 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.\nResponsibilities\nDesign, build and test prototype assemblies to demonstrate functionality and performance under prototypic conditions.\nLead and participate in design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, and operation of First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) equipment supporting KP Annular Fuel Production Systems.\nPerforms and reviews engineering calculations, analyses and design evaluations necessary to substantiate equipment and system designs.\nMonitor equipment performance, recommend and perform design modifications to enhance system reliability based on operational feedback.\nDevelop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and maintenance documentation to ensure consistent and safe operations.\nLead and participate in system integration across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software teams to deliver seamless, high-performing solutions.\nEnsure compliance of all systems with applicable industry codes, safety regulations and site-specific standards..\nIdentify opportunities for automation within the Pebble Development Laboratory, implement solutions and measure impact using defined cost-savings metrics.\nLead investigations into technical issues, perform root cause analyses, implement corrective actions, and support engineering changes and verification processes.\nLeverage internal manufacturing team and management of external vendors to manufacture/procure mechanical and automated systems, applying defined equipment selection criteria and manufacturability analysis.\nLead and participate in design and safety reviews to validate designs prior to fabrication or implementation.\nGenerate and maintain design records, equipment specifications and test reports compliant with internal quality and regulatory standards.\nManage project timelines, budgets and deliverables for assigned systems or subprojects.\nTrain and mentor team members, fostering technical growth and collaboration.\nPerform other duties as assigned.\nQualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or similar discipline.\n6+ years of relevant engineering experience in a chemical, pharmaceutical, industrial, manufacturing, or comparable process-based setting.\nExperience designing, developing, commissioning, or supporting mechanical or process equipment in an industrial or manufacturing environment.\nExperience in generating Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Heat & Material Balances (H&MBs), Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), equipment lists, and utility consumption lists.\nExperience working with hazardous processes and chemicals, including the implementation of appropriate safety controls.\nExperience in commissioning new vendor supplied equipment, as well as being able to commission in-house designed equipment.\nMechatronics or electromechanical experience is desirable.\nHands-on experience with process automation systems (e.g., PLCs, DCS, or SCADA systems) is desirable.\nKnowledge, Skills & Abilities\nProficient with engineering software programs including CAD, SolidWorks and modeling software.\nTeam player with excellent verbal, written communication/presentation and interpersonal skills.\nAbility to work with highly collaborative teams.\nAbility to identify opportunities for improvement of existing equipment.\nAbility to verify process designs against mechanical designs, in keeping with operational and maintenance interfaces to ensure that systems and facility are optimal from an installation, integration, operational and maintenance perspective.\nAbility to apply engineering judgment to evaluate equipment and system designs for reliability, manufacturability, maintainability, operability, and performance.\nAbility to troubleshoot complex equipment and process-system issues, conduct root cause analysis and develop effective corrective actions.\nAbility to coordinate mechanical systems with electrical, controls, instrumentation, and automation interfaces in multidisciplinary engineering environments.\nFamiliar with process documentation, including PFDs and P&IDs, and how they inform industrial system operations and integration.\nStrong problem-solving and organizational skills, able to manage multiple priorities in dynamic environments while maintaining attention to detail.\nExcellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document plans and effectively convey information across engineering, operations and leadership teams.\nAbility to be proactive and adaptable.\nPrioritizes and ensures safety of oneself and others.\nAbility to proactively collect, manage and transfer knowledge.\nAbility to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges and issues.\nPhysical Conditions\nAscending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts and the like.\nMoving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces.\nRemaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods.\nMoving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another.\nAdjusting, moving, transporting, installing, positioning, or removing objects up to 10 pounds in all directions.\nCommunicating with others to exchange information.\nUse hand tools.\nEnvironmental Conditions\nGeneral office environment.\nNoisy environments.\nOdors or fumes from chemicals or chemical reactions.\nAssessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.\nHigh-concentration, demanding and fast-paced.\nPrototyping/Testing environment.\nManufacturing/Industrial Environment.\nRadiological or Controlled Environment.\nSafety and PPE\nReading and interpreting hazardous warning signs.\nReporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions.\nWearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes, etc.\nHandling of radiological materials.\nTravel\nSome travel may be required <5%\nAdditional Requirements \nOccasionally requires schedule flexibility.\nRequires extended hours to support launch and critical project timelines (occasionally).\nOnsite: #LI-Onsite\nAbout our Benefits\nWe 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:\nCompetitive compensation packages\nMedical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents\nPaid Vacation\n401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)\nKairos 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.\nKairos Power participates in E-Verify.\nCandidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.\nNote: 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","description_format":"text","description_chars":9007,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":6,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Health insurance"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Energy & Utilities","Nuclear Energy"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-30T09:22:06Z"}],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":1,"expected_fill_days":47,"reasons":["conf:10","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-01T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/kairospower-senior-mechanical-engineer-fuels-program","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/kairospower-senior-mechanical-engineer-fuels-program.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-01T12:43:19Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":4135,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":865,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-02T00:00:00Z"}}}