Structural Mechanical Engineer, Salt Process Equipment Components

Overview

Structural Mechanical Engineer, Salt Process Equipment Components at Kairos Power. Focus on design, development, and production of salt system equipment with interfaces to the Remote Handling System. Collaborate with reactor component owners to refine and optimize flange connection designs, produce production-ready drawings, and support applications across plant systems. Design and analyze components for in-cell reactor component maintenance and inspection with minimal impact to plant operation and contribute to structural design of supports for remote maintenance.

• Clamped Flange Development
• Develop innovative clamped flange and sealing system designs for robust reactor component connections
• Analyze designs for component optimization and ASME BPVC Section III Div1 compliance
• Integrate design-to-cost and design-for-manufacturing efforts across systems
• Deliver test-proven hardware through Solid Works CAD, drawing review and release, and collaboration with in-house fabrication teams
• Lead or participate in formal design reviews (PDR, CDR) and provide peer feedback on component and system designs
• Populate internal design catalog with ready-to-implement CAD files
• Ensure compliance with nuclear industry regulations, safety standards, and applicable codes
• Support lifecycle management of structural components, including obsolescence planning and configuration control
• Utilize digital thread principles and model-based engineering approaches, as applicable

• Structural Attachments
• Develop remote handling structural reaction points to facilitate operation of tele manipulator equipment
• Identify technical risks related to mechanical design and propose mitigation strategies
• Analyze designs for optimization and space-efficient integration
• Work with external suppliers and vendors to ensure manufacturability, quality, and timely delivery of components
• Collaborate with remote handling tooling team to optimize end-effectors and other custom equipment

• Testing and Validation
• Participate in sealing system testing and system load testing
• Participate in integrated testing and demonstration opportunities
• Participate in inspections, quality checks, pre-commissioning evaluations, installations, and other activities to verify system performance
• Work with component engineering, reliability, fabrication, laboratory, and civil structures teams to accelerate hardware development
• Publish engineering reports documenting design details, test results, and lessons learned

• Team Building
• Share knowledge, experience, and methods with colleagues to foster a high-performing team

Other duties as assigned

• B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
• Experience with ASME BPVC Section III or other nuclear/pressure vessel codes and standards
• Experience working under quality assurance programs (e.g., NQA-1, ISO 9001, ASME)
• Experience with weldments and NDE techniques
• Preferred hands-on experience with hardware design, fabrication, assembly, or testing
• Familiarity with design and operation of pressure systems and fluid conveyance systems

• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively in cross-functional teams
• Familiarity with GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis
• Expertise in efficient analysis techniques
• Working knowledge of product lifecycle management (PLM) tools and engineering change control processes
• Familiarity with digital engineering practices or model-based systems engineering (MBSE)
• Understanding of fatigue, creep, and fracture mechanics as applicable to structural components
• Proficiency in computer-based methods for data acquisition, control, and analysis
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools (e.g., Solid Works)
• Ability to work within a highly collaborative team
• Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently
• Prioritizes and ensures safety of oneself 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

• Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts,…