---
title: 'Labor & Employment Attorney at Kairos Power'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/labor-employment-attorney-kairos-power-alameda-vn0djkzghw5k'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-03'
---

# Labor & Employment Attorney at Kairos Power

- **Company:** Kairos Power
- **Location:** Alameda, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-09-24
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-03
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kairospower/jobs/5798670004

## Job description

Company Overview

Kairos 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.

Job Summary

Kairos Power is seeking its first in-house labor and employment attorney to advise on a wide range of employment, labor, and compliance matters. In this role, you will provide practical legal advice on hiring and recruiting, investigations, discipline and termination, leaves of absence, disability accommodation, wage and hour, anti-discrimination, compensation and benefits, labor activities, and other issues affecting the company’s employees and workplace. As a member of a small legal team, you will have significant ownership over assigned areas and play a key role in shaping legal strategy and processes as the company continues to grow.

Work location in Alameda, CA (hybrid).

## Responsibilities

- Serve as the primary attorney supporting Kairos Power’s People Operations team.
- Advise on employment-law aspects of recruiting and hiring practices, including job postings, candidate selection, background checks, and pre-employment requirements, as applicable.
- Provide legal advice on discipline, termination, leave of absence, wage and hour compliance, anti-discrimination requirements, and compensation and benefits matters.
- Advise on employee classification matters, including exempt/nonexempt status and independent contractor classification.
- Advise on employee accommodations and the interactive process, including disability, pregnancy, and religious accommodation matters.
- Partner with People Operations and other internal stakeholders on employment-law considerations arising from organizational and workforce changes, including reductions in force, restructurings, reorganizations, and applicable notice and compliance requirements.
- Draft and review employment document and templates, including offer letters, employment agreements, policies and procedures, and separation agreements.
- Collaborate with the Learning & Development team to develop and implement training programs for employees, managers and People Operations on employment-related topics.
- Monitor developments in employment and labor laws and regulations, proactively identify areas of risk, and propose practical company-wide strategies for mitigating risks.
- Oversee or conduct internal investigations and provide guidance on employee performance or conduct concerns.
- Manage employment-related claims and demands, including agency complaints and investigations.
- Manage outside employment counsel.
- Other duties as assigned

## Qualifications

- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
- Current member in good standing with at least one state bar.
- 5+ years of relevant labor and employment law experience, including counseling employers on federal and state employment-law matters.
- Experience advising HR/People teams and business leaders on employee-relations and workplace legal issues.
- Experience conducting or advising on workplace investigations.
- Experience with administrative procedures and responding to federal, state, and local agency charges.
- California employment-law experience desirable.
- Experience in both law firms and in-house is desirable.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

- Strong knowledge and foundation in federal and state employment laws.
- Strong advocacy skills and experience in litigation, arbitration, mediation, and settlement negotiations.
- Ability to communicate effectively with non-lawyers, manage multiple projects and priorities, adapt to quickly changing conditions, and navigate ambiguity.
- Commitment to professional integrity, ethics, and confidentiality in handling sensitive information.
- Ability to identify and assess employment-related legal risks and develop practical risk-mitigation strategies.
- Strong legal research, drafting, and analytical skills.
- Ability to build effective working relationships with People Operations and business stakeholders while maintaining appropriate legal judgment and independence.

Physical Conditions

- Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods
- Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another
- Communicating with others to exchange information

Environmental Conditions

- General office environment
- High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced

Safety and PPE

- Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs
- Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions

Travel

- Some travel may be required, up to 10%

Additional Requirements

- Requires occasional working weekends
- Requires occasional extended hours to support launch and critical project timelines

The salary range for this position is $175,100 to $218,700 for employees working onsite at our Alameda, CA headquarters. The range provided in this job posting represents the typical range or starting rate of candidates hired in California. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include your education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, the market data for your work location, and a comparison to other employees already in the role.

#LI-Hybrid

## About our Benefits

We 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:

- Competitive compensation packages
- Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents
- Paid Vacation
- 401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)

Kairos 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.

Kairos Power participates in E-Verify.

Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.

Note: 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

## About Kairos Power

## Company Overview

- **One-liner**: Kairos Power is developing fluoride salt–cooled high‑temperature reactors (KP‑FHR) to deliver safe, affordable, and reliable clean energy at commercial scale.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Venture‑backed startup)
- **Headquarters**: Alameda, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2016
- **Founders**: Mike Laufer (CEO, Co‑Founder) and Edward Blandford (CTO, Co‑Founder) [kairospower.com/about](https://www.kairospower.com/about)

## Core Business

- **Primary industries**: Advanced nuclear energy, clean‑energy technology, vertical manufacturing.
- **Target customers**: B2B – utilities (e.g., TVA), large‑scale energy buyers (e.g., Google), power generators, grid operators.
- **Mission / purpose**: “To deliver reliable, affordable energy at scale” while combating climate change by reimagining the entire energy system. [kairospower.com](https://www.kairospower.com/)

## Products & Services

- **KP‑FHR (fluoride salt–cooled high‑temperature reactor)**: The core technology – a next‑generation nuclear reactor that uses molten‑salt coolant and TRISO‑based pebble fuel. It is designed for competitive baseload power without carbon emissions.
- **Hermes Demonstration Reactors**:
  - **Hermes 1**: The first non‑water‑cooled reactor to receive an NRC construction permit. Now under construction in Oak Ridge, TN.
  - **Hermes 2**: A commercial‑scale demonstration plant that will supply electricity to the grid.
- **In‑house manufacturing**: Kairos Power builds reactor components, fuel, molten salt, and plant equipment internally to control quality, cost, and schedule. Facilities in Albuquerque, NM produce modular systems and perform salt production, TRISO fuel and pebble fabrication.
- **Engineering Test Units (ETU)**: Iterative non‑nuclear test rigs (ETU 2, ETU 3) used to validate systems, reduce risk, and fine‑tune technology before nuclear operation.

## Market Standing

- **Valuation**: Not publicly available in provided sources.
- **Key metric**: **Headcount >500** (as of 2025/2026); **Total funding** – not disclosed in provided sources.
- **Notable investors & partners**: Google (world’s first corporate agreement for multiple advanced reactor deployments – up to 500 MW by 2035), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), KP‑OMADA alliance (North American nuclear utilities and generating companies). [kairospower.com/our-approach](https://www.kairospower.com/our-approach)
- **Growth signals**:
  - First nuclear company ever named a **BloombergNEF Pioneer**.
  - Recognized **six times as a Forbes Best Startup Employer**.
  - Hermes 1 construction permit granted – a regulatory milestone.
  - Expansion of manufacturing capabilities in Albuquerque and reactor campus in Oak Ridge.
  - Active partnerships with leading U.S. utilities and tech companies.

## Competitive Advantages

- **Vertical integration**: Unifies engineering, manufacturing, testing, and licensing in‑house – reduces supply‑chain risk and accelerates deployment.
- **Iterative development model (“test‑to‑learn”)**: Build, test, iterate with thousands of hours of operational data; progressively de‑risks nuclear construction, fuel supply, and operations.
- **Proactive regulatory engagement**: First non‑water‑cooled reactor to secure an NRC construction permit, de‑risking the licensing path for future units.
- **Strong commercial partnerships**: Google and major utilities provide both credibility and a clear off‑take pathway for commercial fleets.
- **Technology differentiator**: Fluoride salt cooling enables lower pressure, inherent safety, and efficient heat transfer, making the reactor cost‑competitive with natural gas.

## Strategic Focus

- **Commercial deployment**: Targeting grid‑connected operation of Hermes 2 and a fleet of up to 500 MW by 2035 (via Google agreement).
- **Scaling manufacturing**: Expanding the Albuquerque Manufacturing Development Campus to produce reactor components at volume.
- **Supply chain & fuel qualification**: In‑house fuel fabrication (TRISO pebbles) and salt production to ensure cost and schedule certainty.
- **Alliance building**: Growing the KP‑OMADA alliance to standardize technology deployment across multiple utilities.

## Why Work Here

- **Culture & recognition**: Six‑time Forbes Best Startup Employer. Employee‑led committees (Women of Kairos Power, Environmental Stewards, Culture Committee, Developing Professionals) shape a collaborative, inclusive environment. “One Kairos” program champions belonging.
- **Benefits**:
  - 3 weeks paid vacation + 5 sick days + >20 paid holidays/year.
  - 100% employer‑paid medical premiums and deductibles for employee and dependents; premium dental and vision.
  - 401(k) with employer match, pre‑tax FSA (health & dependent care), commuter benefits.
  - Career development: mentorship programs, hands‑on training, career paths tailored to personal goals.
- **Work model**: Multiple facilities (Alameda HQ, Oak Ridge, Albuquerque) – roles are likely on‑site or hybrid depending on function; no explicit remote‑only policy disclosed.
- **Mission‑driven environment**: Direct impact on climate change; work on complex engineering challenges in nuclear energy.
- **Values**: Mission‑driven, responsible, people‑centered, pioneering, collaborative, action‑oriented, direct & honest. [kairospower.com/careers](https://www.kairospower.com/careers)

## Sources

1. [kairospower.com](https://www.kairospower.com/) – Company homepage, locations, technology overview
2. [kairospower.com/about](https://www.kairospower.com/about) – Founders, leadership, history, locations
3. [kairospower.com/our-approach](https://www.kairospower.com/our-approach) – Vertical integration, iterative development, partnerships
4. [kairospower.com/careers](https://www.kairospower.com/careers) – Culture, benefits, values, employee resource groups, headcount
5. [linkedin.com/company/kairospower](https://www.linkedin.com/company/kairospower) – Company LinkedIn page (used for verification)

## Other roles at Kairos Power

- [Senior Manager, Engineering Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manager-engineering-operations-kairos-power-albuquerque-nm-and-oak-ridge-99hv5a4n8hze) — Albuquerque NM and Oak Ridge, TN
- [Principal Mechanical Engineer, Fuel Handling Equipment](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-mechanical-engineer-fuel-handling-equipment-kairos-power-oakridge-k8m9bkds50h2) — Oakridge, TN
- [Firmware Development Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/firmware-development-engineer-kairos-power-alameda-j529qj1p1ayp) — Alameda, CA
- [System Administrator, Operational Technology](https://feeny.ai/job/system-administrator-operational-technology-kairos-power-alameda-ca-or-77mrm2n56z19) — Alameda CA OR Albuquerque, NM
- [Distinguished Nuclear Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/distinguished-nuclear-engineer-kairos-power-alameda-hx01p5y1vaep) — Alameda, CA
- [Electrical Engineer, Plant Electrical Systems](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-plant-electrical-systems-kairos-power-alameda-x8sax2zjzd4n) — Alameda, CA / Albuquerque, NM / Oak Ridge, TN
- [Senior Mechanical Engineer, Fuels Program](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-fuels-program-kairos-power-albuquerque-xw6h7jkh6cxs) — Albuquerque, NM
- [Process Engineer, TRISO Fuels Facility](https://feeny.ai/job/process-engineer-triso-fuels-facility-kairos-power-albuquerque-fg2shdha1bbt) — Albuquerque, NM
- [Senior Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-quality-engineer-kairos-power-albuquerque-yhghh777gmfy) — Albuquerque, NM
- [Senior Plant Control Systems Engineer, Motion Control](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-plant-control-systems-engineer-motion-control-kairos-power-alameda-jtwxak1n3wmg) — Alameda, CA / Albuquerque, NM / Oak Ridge, TN