Mechanical Design Engineer - Fuel Recycling

The person in this role is responsible for the design, prototyping, and iterative refinement of production-scale, remotely operated electrochemical molten salt process equipment used in nuclear fuel recycling. This work directly supports Oklo’s mission to close the fuel cycle and enable advanced fission technology deployment. The systems developed will operate in high-temperature (>500 °C) and high-radiation environments, demanding robust, maintainable designs suitable for automation, remote operation, and long service lifetimes. Day-to-day activities will include mechanical design, testing, and validation of process and mechanical systems that perform reliably in these extreme conditions. This role will include participation in cross-functional teams focused on facility design, nuclear and electrochemical engineering, instrumentation and controls, automation and robotics, process modeling, quality assurance, and licensing.

Responsibilities

Develop and own the mechanical design of process and system components within Oklo’s nuclear fuel recycling facilities; Design and validate high-temperature (>500 °C) and corrosion-resistant electrochemical process equipment, suitable for operation in high-radiation environments; Incorporate design-for-automation principles to enable remote handling, inspection, and maintenance of systems and components; Collaborate cross-functionally with other engineering teams to define design and functional requirements, ensuring compliance with safety regulations and industry standards; Lead and participate in formal design reviews, providing and integrating multidisciplinary technical feedback; Generate and maintain 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, and bills of materials in controlled PDM/PLM environments; Prepare clear and traceable engineering documentation, including design rationales, functional requirements, and regulatory submissions; Collaborate directly with fabrication partners and vendors to refine designs for manufacturability, cost effectiveness, and scalability; Support equipment prototyping, testing, and commissioning at Oklo’s recycling development and deployment sites

Requirements

Bachelor’s or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field (e.g., Materials or Nuclear Engineering); 5-10 years of experience demonstrating success taking mechanical systems from concept through detailed design, analysis, fabrication, and deployment; Experience with custom mechanical design for equipment used in high-temperature or heavy industrial applications (e.g. nuclear, petrochemical, or mining industries); Expert-level proficiency with CAD software (e.g., Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks), including 3D model generation and 2D fabrication drawings; Broad familiarity with engineering principles and strong systems engineering intuition; Working knowledge of material selection, particularly high-temperature alloys and corrosion-resistant metals, along with related manufacturing and joining techniques

Nice to have

Experience with electrochemical manufacturing processes such as electroplating, electrowinning, or pyroprocessing; Experience designing equipment for high (>500 °C) temperature operation or corrosive molten salt environments; Experience designing for radiation tolerance or remote maintenance in nuclear or space systems; Familiarity with design for automation, including integration with robotics and control systems for lights-out operations; Experience designing heavy industrial equipment or pilot-scale systems with high reliability and extended maintenance intervals; Experience with ANSYS or similar FEA/CFD simulation software for structural and thermal analysis; Knowledge of GD&T and design for manufacturability best practices; Experience with balance of plant facility design and integration with automated process systems; Experience in commercial or governmental nuclear projects

Benefits

Flexible time off; Equity; 401k; Health insurance; FSA; Flexible work hours