---
title: 'Mechanical Engineer, Fuel Handling Equipment at Kairos Power'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-fuel-handling-equipment-kairos-power-albuquerque-3vgmzw5d6928'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-20'
---

# Mechanical Engineer, Fuel Handling Equipment at Kairos Power

- **Company:** Kairos Power
- **Location:** Albuquerque, NM
- **Posted:** 2026-10-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-20
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kairospower/jobs/6101036004

## 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 a highly motivated Fuel Handling Equipment Design Engineer with expertise relevant to design, development, testing and manufacturing of automated systems for fuel handling and storage equipment. The successful candidate will be a critical member of the KP-FHR fuel handling and storage system.

This role will develop custom mechanical and electromechanical equipment, create detailed 3D models and manufacturing drawings, and design and test protypes to evaluate and mature equipment designs.  The engineer will work closely with engineering, manufacturing, operations, technicians, designers, and suppliers to support equipment fabrication, assembly, testing, and operation.

## Responsibilities

- Support the design and prototyping of critical subsystems of the KP-FHR fuel handling and storage equipment.
- Collaborate with manufacturing and operations at the KP-SW campus to support the manufacturing, assembly, and operation of high fidelity and full scall fuel handling equipment.
- Create high fidelity non-standard, custom 3D equipment models and manufacturing drawings that meet the KP-FHR and test system requirements.
- Design, build, and test prototype assemblies to demonstrate concept functionality and performance in prototypic conditions.
- Design and build testing platforms for the exploration of design features that require maturation.
- Create or direct the creation of manufacturing drawings for KP-FHR custom fuel handling equipment, and other moving components, and coordinate the fabrication with internal manufacturing operation and suppliers.
- Incorporate manufacturing, assembly, and test feedback into equipment designs to support design maturation and manufacturability.
- Contribute to make/buy analyses, supplier selections and the development of manufacturing plans.
- Perform engineering calculations and analyses to support mechanical design decisions and component selection.
- Participate in design reviews and incorporate feedback into equipment designs, drawings, and prototypes.
- Document prototype and test results and communicate findings to support design development and maturation.
- Incorporate prototype, test, manufacturing, and assembly feedback into equipment designs and drawings.
- Other duties as assigned.

## Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline; or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered
- Working knowledge of SolidWorks, including 3D modeling and creation of engineering drawings
- Working knowledge of mechanical design principles and engineering drawings
- Familiarity with mechanical or electromechanical systems, prototyping, and testing
- Ability to apply engineering principles to analyze and solve technical problems
- Ability to work hands-on in a laboratory or manufacturing environment, including the use of hand tools as appropriate to assigned work
- Ability to collaborate effectively with engineers, designers, technicians, manufacturing personnel, and other members of multidisciplinary project teams
- Experience performing hands-on prototyping and testing of novel electromechanical systems is desirable
- Experience interfacing with manufacturing teams and an understanding of manufacturing processes is desirable
- Experience with machine motion is desirable
- LabVIEW or PLC integration experience is desirable

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

- Working knowledge of SolidWorks, including 3D modeling and creation of engineering drawings.
- Working knowledge of mechanical design principles and engineering drawings
- Familiarity with mechanical or electromechanical systems, prototyping, and testing
- Ability to apply engineering principles to analyze and solve technical problems
- Ability to work hands-on in a laboratory or manufacturing environment, including the use of hand tools as appropriate to assigned work
- Ability to collaborate effectively with engineers, designers, technicians, manufacturing personnel, and other members of multidisciplinary project teams
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes and their application to mechanical component and equipment design
- Ability to interpret and apply technical requirements to equipment designs and drawings
- Ability to incorporate test, manufacturing, and assembly feedback into mechanical designs and drawings
- Ability to document test activities, results, and technical findings clearly and accurately
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and attention to detail

Physical Demands

- Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts and the like
- Adjusting, moving, transporting, installing, positioning, or removing objects up to 30 pounds in all directions
- 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
- Assembling and modifying prototype equipment, test fixtures, and test setups in collaboration with engineering and manufacturing teams

Environmental Conditions

- General office environment
- Noisy environments
- Prototyping/Testing environment
- Manufacturing/Industrial Environment
- Laboratory environment

Safety and PPE

- Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs
- Manipulating, cleaning and disposal of hazardous materials
- Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions

Travel

- Some travel may be required (10%)

Additional Requirements

- Occasionally requires schedule flexibility
- Occasionally requires extended hours to support critical project timelines, fabrication activities, testing, or deployment milestones

#LI-Onsite

## 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)

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