Senior Mechanical Engineer, Structures

Job Description

About the Company

Humanity faces two critical challenges: securing reliable energy for everyone and aggressively lowering our environmental impact. Our client believes nuclear fission is the key to solving both at once. Today they are actively developing the technology to rapidly scale the deployment of nuclear fission.

The Opportunity

As a structures engineer, you'll be responsible for designing and building reactor hardware such as the pressure vessel, containment, and structural elements for a 25 MWe reactor. These designs must withstand the extreme temperature and pressure environments of the reactor while meeting regulatory requirements and being optimized for cost, mass, and manufacturability. Sr. Structures Engineers will own the most complex structural hardware while setting the technical bar for the structures engineering team. Successful candidates will have previously demonstrated extreme ownership in delivering mechanical systems in fast-paced, high-reliability environments.

Responsibilities

* Design, build and test pressure vessels, containment structures, seismic isolation, and secondary structures for the pilot nuclear reactor
* Carry out trade studies for optimal structural materials, balancing cost, mass, strength, corrosion resistance, and manufacturability
* Validate reliability of designs with rigorous testing: thermal cycling, pressure cycling, shock, vibration, radiation embrittlement, and corrosion. Design experiments to ground analysis, develop fixturing, and create technical reports based on results
* Work with manufacturers to understand process limitations and adapt designs for lead times and manufacturability
* Collaborate with peers from different systems to develop designs that balance cost, efficiency, and deployment logistics
* Support the assembly of your hardware in the factory, witness your designs being brought to life daily, and watch them power an abundant, clean future
* Provide training and mentorship to junior structures engineers, setting the standard for technical rigor across the team

Basic Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related technical discipline
* 5 years of engineering experience designing, analyzing, and building mechanical hardware

Preferred Skills and Experience

* Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and desire to enable abundant clean energy
* 5 years of experience designing and analyzing mechanical systems via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both
* Experience acting as a technical lead --- scoping work, reviewing designs and processes, and guiding other engineers to successful outcomes
* Ability to perform trade studies and make clear recommendations using first principles and engineering fundamentals even with partial information
* Experience working at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position that required a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner to accomplish tasks with tight time or budget constraints
* Hands on experience designing, testing, and operating high-pressure systems and pressure vessels
* Experience with forging for large, high-pressure vessels
* Experience with welding processes, inspection, and qualification
* Experience designing to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
* Hands-on experience with fluid, gas, or thermal systems

Additional Requirements

* The position will be based in the Los Angeles Metro The position will be full-time in the office.
* Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary
* Ability to travel to reactor construction sites in other states as necessary

Compensation and Benefits

* Competitive Base Compensation - DOE
* Long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or stock options, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
* Access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, paid vacation, paid parental leave, and various other perks.

About AdAstra

AdAstra Talent Advisors is a headhunting and talent advising firm focused on the Climate, Space, and Defense sectors of Hard Tech. We specialize in pairing highly technical and executive talent with some of the world's leading Hard Tech startups.

At AdAstra, we catalyze the innovations that future generations depend on by placing the right people in the right seats. Our dedicated work enables inconceivable technology from Earth, to the stars. And it's all because of trailblazing talent like you - those driven to do what's never been done before.

We care about long term relationships with both candidates and companies. Even if the role we initially discuss isn't a perfect fit, it's likely we'll have something relevant to share with you in the future.

Join us on our journey by following along via LinkedIn!

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