Senior Mechanical Engineer, Remote Handling and Full Scale Integration
Kairos Power
| Company | Kairos Power |
| Category | Engineering |
| Location | Oak Ridge |
| Remote | Remote |
| Employment | Not stated |
| Level | Senior |
| Salary | Not stated by the employer |
| Posted | 19 Dec 2024 |
| Last verified | 12 Aug 2026 |
| Source | Employer ATS (greenhouse) |
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 Senior Mechanical Engineer focused on Remote Handling Special Components with expertise in modular hardware design for remotely operated systems.
This role is centered on the design, physical integration, and demonstration of remote handling technologies through full-scale mockups and prototype builds. The Senior Engineer will drive 1:1 scale integration efforts to validate interfaces, clearances, tolerances, and handling sequences—systematically derisking reactor maintenance strategies prior to deployment.
This position integrates remote handling requirements directly into component architecture and system interfaces to enable efficient assembly, maintenance, inspection, and long-term operability. The role emphasizes hands-on engineering, rapid build-test cycles, and cross-functional collaboration in a highly regulated environment.
Responsibilities
Modular Maintenance System Development
Apply lifecycle design principles including maintainability, inspectability, and decommissioning
Integrate remote handling requirements into hardware architecture and system interfaces
Develop and maintain interface control documentation supporting plant-level integration
Design, build, and evaluate 1:1 scale mockups and integration test articles to validate handling concepts
Develop structured test plans and acceptance criteria for full-scale demonstrations
Coordinate test readiness reviews with QA and Systems Engineering
Implement design updates based on mockup results, demonstrations, and operational feedback
Support project planning and cost estimation for integration and testing activities
Interface with vendors to ensure manufacturability and feasibility of specialized components
Conduct risk and reliability assessments for maintenance systems
Ensure compliance with nuclear regulations, safety standards, and applicable codes
Maintain configuration-controlled design documentation
Remote Handling Solutions
Develop remote handling hardware enabling efficient component repair and replacement
Lead hands-on design-build-test cycles to mature handling approaches
Execute full-scale integration mockups to validate reach, clearances, tooling alignment, ergonomics, and sequencing
Collaborate with reactor systems and operations teams to define online and offline maintenance strategies
Identify integration risks early and mitigate through rapid prototyping and physical demonstration
Testing and Validation
Align demonstration opportunities with reactor and facility schedules
Develop execution plans for rapid, high-value physical demonstrations
Support inspections, installations, shakedown, tuning, and commissioning activities
Capture lessons learned from mockups and integration testing to inform future designs
Collaboration
Partner with engineering, laboratory, shop, and materials teams to execute accelerated hardware development
Coordinate cross-disciplinary integration efforts to ensure cohesive system performance
Engineering Reports
Publish engineering reports documenting design details, mockup results, and integration findings
Contribute to design basis documentation and regulatory submittals
Team Contribution
Share technical knowledge and best practices across the organization
Mentor junior engineers in hardware design, integration, and prototype testing
Other duties as