Principal Mechanical Engineer - Heat Exchanger Design

X-energy, LLC is seeking an accomplished Principal Engineer/Mechanical Engineering Manager (Heat Exchanger Design) to lead our advanced Mechanical Design team in the development of Steam Generators and Heat Exchangers for advanced nuclear reactor applications. This leadership position drives the strategic direction and technical excellence of mechanical design operations for the Steam Generator of the Xe-100 Small Modular Reactor (SMR), with particular emphasis on mission-critical reactor systems. The successful candidate will provide leadership for the design of nuclear reactor system components, drive the implementation of design best practices, and enhance conceptualized systems for real-world design-for-manufacturing principles.

As a technical leader, direct a team of specialized engineers in performing sophisticated mechanical engineering design, establishing design principles that advance heat exchanger technology. Your responsibilities include mentoring individual contributors, driving innovation in steam generator design approaches and product actualization, and providing strategic organizational support across multi-disciplinary project teams. This leadership role will develop and manage the team infrastructure that will design, analyze, and optimize complex systems, structures, and components for next-generation advanced reactor plants.

Responsibilities:

- Manages the execution of the mechanical design, analysis, and evaluation of assigned projects using sound engineering principles and adhering to business standards, practices, procedures, and product / program requirements.

- Lead team responsible for performing the mechanical design of various advanced reactor plants to inform the design, manufacturing, construction and licensing strategy.

- Manages the utilization of engineering resources across multiple projects and ensures qualified engineers are performing assigned work.

- Adjudicates technical differences within their area of responsibility to determine best option, while fostering a healthy engineering dialogue.

- Lead design cycle sprints and provide direction to ensure the convergence of efforts of engineering team members, partners, and suppliers to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality engineering work products are on schedule and within budget as defined by the Project leadership.

- Manages staff by ensuring they are meeting expectations and promoting their professional development.

- Influences the development of strategy, methodology and technical tools for the area of responsibility, including control of resources, policy formulation, and ways in which technical work is executed.

- Interprets simple internal and external business challenges and recommends best practices to improve products, processes, tools, or services.

- Uses high level of judgement to make decisions and handle complex tasks or problems in areas of operations, product management, manufacturing, technology, or engineering.

- Act in advisory capacity to define scope and level of effort estimates for areas where their resources would be supporting.

- Work within a multidisciplinary engineering team to create the next generation nuclear power plants.

- Perform work in accordance with design control procedures, ensuring thorough documentation of work, facilitation of internal and external design reviews, and control of product design configuration data.

- Maintain professional demeanor and behavior at all times in all forms of communication.

- Perform other duties as assigned by manager.

Qualifications:

- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related discipline from an accredited university or college.

- Typically, ten years of engineering experience. Graduate degrees typically count as two plus years of experience.

- Experience and/or knowledge in a minimum of one of the following areas:

- Designing and developing mechanical or fluid systems, assemblies, or components.

- Hardware ownership including manufacturing and testing oversight.

- Use of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and product lifecycle management (PLM) software.

- E.g. UG/NX, SolidWorks, Pro-Engineer, Teamcenter, Windchill, or similar.

Preferred Skills:

- 8+ years of mechanical engineering experience, with at least 4 years in heat exchanger or steam generator design (preferred).

- Proven track record of taking a product from conceptual design through manufacturing, including prototyping, testing, and production.

- Experience with tube bundle design, including thermal-hydraulic analysis, material selection for high-temperature/pressure environments, structural analysis

- Experience with application of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code in design.

- Professional Engineer license, with 4+ years of work under a licensed PE.

- Familiarity with manufacturing processes (e.g., welding, machining, tube bundle assembly) and design for manufacturability (DFM).

- Steam generator design experience in power plant or industrial boiler applications (e.g., HRSGs).

- Background in failure analysis.

Location:

530 Gaither Road, Rockville MD

Work Site Expectations:

4 days in office

Travel Expectations:

10%

Hours:

8:00am ET to 5:00pm ET, Monday - Friday