Senior Engineer, Power Plant Operational Design

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 Senior Engineer will be part of the team focused on the development and maturation of the Concept of Operations for the KP-FHR, with near term applicability for the Hermes Demonstration Reactor. You will work in close collaboration with systems, nuclear, mechanical, process, and I&C engineering groups to ensure major plant functional and operational needs are translated into the design to ensure successful plant operation. If you have power, chemical, or process plant operational and design experience, see how you can leverage it to support the next generation of clean energy.

Responsibilities

- Develop and refine the plant’s detailed operational strategy, including operating modes, envelopes, and key state points, leveraging deep knowledge of plant performance requirements.

- Translate operational goals into actionable system- and component-level requirements for Structures, Systems, and Components (SSCs), balancing performance expectations and design constraints.

- Define anticipated and planned plant transients and collaborate with simulation teams to model and assess system responses and design adequacy.

- Collaborate closely with cross-functional design teams to inform and guide plant-level decisions, ensuring operational requirements and control strategies are incorporated.

- Support design optimization efforts aimed at enhancing plant performance, reliability, and availability while mitigating technical risks.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

- Mechanical, Nuclear, Chemical, or other related engineering discipline with BS (8+ years experience), or MS (6+ years experience)

- Demonstrated ability of applying engineering knowledge to deliver results while being able to thrive in an environment with evolving requirements.

- Strong technical writing skills, with the ability to clearly document operational philosophies, assumptions, and technical decisions.

- Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team on problems as well as lead/coordinate the timely resolution of issues in cross functional teams

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

- Fundamental understanding of power or industrial process plant operation and equipment and the interrelationships between them.

- Strong interpersonal skills and able to be independent, resourceful, and proactive in the face of the lack of information or unknowns.

- Desire and ability to function in a fast-paced small company environment while wearing multiple hats.

- Plant Performance - Proficient knowledge in power plant steady state performance, environmental effects on performance, tradeoffs, and understanding a variety of plant operational variability and uncertainties is strongly desired.

- Plant Dynamics – Proficient knowledge in power plant maneuvering, control of closed-loop heat transport systems, transient thermodynamics and T-H, with a general understanding of plant dynamics, as well as familiarity with basic nuclear reactor kinetics operational constraints is strongly desired.

- Plant Performance – Intermediate knowledge of economics of plant operation and plant reliability and availability management is strongly desired.

- Plant Design – Intermediate knowledge of design constraints of key Structures, Systems, and Components (SSCs) including how operation drives component design, knowledge of how plant operational objectives and requirements drive overall plant design, and knowledge of regulatory operational requirements are strongly desired.

- Intermediate knowledge of nuclear systems fundamentals such as thermal hydraulics, neutronics, dynamics, and general reactor transient behavior is desired.

- Working experience with plant simulation tools (e.g., APROS or other simulation platform) is desired

- Ability to work with highly collaborative team.

- Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently.

- Prioritizes and ensures safety of one self and others.

- Ability to proactively collect, manage and transfer knowledge.

- Ability to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges and issues.

Physical Demands

- Remaining in a stationary position for prolonged period

Environmental Conditions

- General office environment

- Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned

- High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced

Safety and PPE

- Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs

- Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions

- Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes

Travel

- Some travel may be required, up to 20%

Certification

- Capable of obtaining forklift and boom lift certification

The salary range for this position is $140,600 to $165,400 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.

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