Oklo Inc. is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to join its fuel recycling engineering team. The role centers on designing, prototyping, and refining production-scale, remotely operated electrochemical molten salt process equipment for nuclear fuel recycling, supporting Oklo’s mission to close the nuclear fuel cycle and enable advanced fission technology.
What You'll Do
- Develop and own the mechanical design of process and system components within Oklo’s nuclear fuel recycling facilities.
- Design and validate high-temperature (>500 °C) and corrosion-resistant electrochemical process equipment, suitable for operation in high-radiation environments.
- Incorporate design-for-automation principles to enable remote handling, inspection, and maintenance of systems and components.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with other engineering teams to define design and functional requirements, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and industry standards.
- Lead and participate in formal design reviews, providing and integrating multidisciplinary technical feedback.
- Generate and maintain 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, and bills of materials in controlled PDM/PLM environments.
- Prepare clear and traceable engineering documentation, including design rationales, functional requirements, and regulatory submissions.
- Collaborate directly with fabrication partners and vendors to refine designs for manufacturability, cost effectiveness, and scalability.
- Support equipment prototyping, testing, and commissioning at Oklo’s recycling development and deployment sites.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field (e.g., Materials or Nuclear Engineering).
- 5-10 years of experience demonstrating success taking mechanical systems from concept through detailed design, analysis, fabrication, and deployment.
- Experience with custom mechanical design for equipment used in high-temperature or heavy industrial applications (e.g. nuclear, petrochemical, or mining industries).
- Expert-level proficiency with CAD software (e.g., Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks), including 3D model generation and 2D fabrication drawings.
- Broad familiarity with engineering principles and strong systems engineering intuition.
- Working knowledge of material selection, particularly high-temperature alloys and corrosion-resistant metals, along with related manufacturing and joining techniques.
Nice to Have
- Experience with electrochemical manufacturing processes such as electroplating, electrowinning, or pyroprocessing.
- Experience designing equipment for high (>500 °C) temperature operation or corrosive molten salt environments.
- Experience designing for radiation tolerance or remote maintenance in nuclear or space systems.
- Familiarity with design for automation, including integration with robotics and control systems for “lights-out” operations.
- Experience designing heavy industrial equipment or pilot-scale systems with high reliability and extended maintenance intervals.
- Experience with ANSYS or similar FEA/CFD simulation software for structural and thermal analysis.
- Knowledge of GD&T and design for manufacturability best practices.
- Experience with balance of plant facility design and integration with automated process systems.
- Experience in commercial or governmental nuclear projects.
Technical Stack
- Siemens NX
- Solidworks
- Creo
- CATIA
- ANSYS
- PDM/PLM systems
- FEA/CFD simulation software
Team & Environment
- Cross-functional teams including nuclear and electrochemical engineering, instrumentation and controls, automation and robotics, process modeling, quality assurance, and licensing
Benefits & Compensation
- Flexible time off
- Equity
- Competitive pay
- 401k
- Health insurance
- FSA
- Flexible work hours
- Other benefits
Compensation: $80,000–$155,000 salary range, with equity offered.
Work Mode
Hybrid work model with flexible work hours.
Candidates should be aware that employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a drug screening, and employees may be subject to drug testing at any time in accordance with company policy and applicable laws.