---
title: 'Principal Mechanical Engineer, Fuel Handling Equipment at Kairos Power'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-mechanical-engineer-fuel-handling-equipment-kairos-power-oakridge-k8m9bkds50h2'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-03'
---

# Principal Mechanical Engineer, Fuel Handling Equipment at Kairos Power

- **Company:** Kairos Power
- **Location:** Oakridge, TN
- **Posted:** 2026-10-30
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-03
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/kairospower/jobs/6223752004

## 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 Principal Fuel Handling Equipment Testing Engineer with technical expertise relevant to design, development, testing and manufacturing of automated systems for fuel handling and storage equipment.

The engineer will apply specialized mechanical and electromechanical expertise to advance prototype and equipment testing, develop remote handling capabilities, and resolve complex issues during assembly, startup, and commissioning.  Working closely with engineering, operations, maintenance, assembly teams, and suppliers, the engineer will guide assigned technical activities at the assigned site and serve as a technical resource for fuel handling equipment development and testing.

The successful candidate will be a critical member of the KP-FHR fuel handling and storage system.

## Responsibilities

- Provide technical leadership for the deployment, testing, assembly, and development activities of the fuel handling team at the Tennessee site.
- 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 or operations that require maturation.
- Lead the development of remote handling features, tools, and operations for fuel handling components in collaboration with operations and maintenance teams.
- Collaborate with operations and the assembly team to create assembly plans, testing requirements, operations, and procedures.
- Generate 3D design layouts and 2D drawings for electro-mechanical equipment, including the desired interface with the nuclear vessel head and other locations in the primary system.
- Create or direct the creation of manufacturing drawings for KP-FHR custom fuel handling equipment, and other moving components, and coordinate fabrication with internal manufacturing teams and suppliers.
- Contribute to make/buy analyses, supplier selections, and the development of manufacturing plans.
- Generate detailed verification and acceptance test plans for all standard and custom components.
- Provide on-site technical support for the operation and troubleshooting of custom components during startup and commissioning.

## Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and 8+ years of relevant experience in mechanical or electromechanical equipment development, testing, deployment, or commissioning; or master’s degree in mechanical engineering and 5+ years of relevant experience; or PhD in mechanical engineering and 3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
- Experience performing hands-on prototyping and testing of novel electromechanical systems.
- Experience designing equipment for nuclear, energy, chemical, petrochemical, defense, or aerospace, or other applications with comparable technical requirements.
- Experience using SolidWorks to develop equipment models and engineering drawings.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

- Applied knowledge of mechanical design principles, mechatronics, motor control, and sensor integration for custom electromechanical equipment.
- Knowledge of design considerations for motorized systems intended for radiation environments.
- Knowledge of engineering drawing practices, dimensional tolerancing, fits, clearances, and alignment requirements for mechanical assemblies.
- Knowledge of manufacturing and assembly processes and their application to equipment design and fabrication.
- Knowledge of design for maintenance strategies, tooling and handling design, and operations development for maintenance periods.
- Ability to define and coordinate mechanical interfaces with electrical, instrumentation, and controls components.
- Ability to design prototype assemblies and test platforms, including consideration of high-temperature operating conditions and associated equipment hazards.
- Ability to translate equipment requirements into verification and acceptance test methods and measurable acceptance criteria.
- Ability to analyze test data, troubleshoot complex equipment problems, and develop and verify corrective design changes.
- Ability to independently execute assigned technical work and guide contributors in sensor and motor system development.
- Ability to collaborate with project managers, engineers, operators, technicians, designers, and suppliers to resolve design, fabrication, assembly, and testing issues.
- Ability to communicate design decisions and technical findings clearly through engineering documentation, test reports, and technical discussions.
- Ability to check models, drawings, and test documentation for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with equipment requirements.
- Ability to work collaboratively with others including, but not limited to Project Managers, Engineers, operators, technicians and designers in a multi-discipline project team environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and attention to detail.

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
- Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety footwear, and other PPE as required

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)

## 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
- [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
- [Facilities Engineer II](https://feeny.ai/job/facilities-engineer-ii-kairos-power-oak-ridge-0ygvx85gh3ja) — Oak Ridge, TN