Distinguished Engineer, Reactor Systems

Kairos Power

Remote

Full Time

Posted July 8, 2026

$114k - $174k· Est.

Nuclear Energy

Remote

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Listing evidence and provenance

Source: greenhouse View original listing
Freshness: Open in the current public read path; this is not an employer guarantee.Last observed September 29, 2026
Classification: Modern power-system classification not yet published for this listing.Legacy source industry field: Nuclear Energy
Pay provenance: Estimated benchmark; not employer-provided

Job Description

The Reactor Systems department is seeking a highly accomplished Distinguished Engineer to provide senior technical leadership across reactor system design, integration, analysis, testing, qualification, and deployment for Kairos Power’s fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor technology.

Key Responsibilities

Provide technical authority to shape the long-term technical vision, system architecture, and engineering strategy for Reactor Systems consistent with Kairos Power’s commercialization roadmap.
Serve as the highest-level technical authority for reactor systems design philosophy, integration strategy, and technical decision-making.
Drive enterprise-wide technical consistency across reactor systems design, integration, analysis, testing, qualification, and deployment activities.
Guide development and oversight of reactor system architecture, system requirements, design bases, interface definitions, verification plans, and supporting technical documentation.
Lead resolution of complex cross-disciplinary technical issues involving reactor vessel systems, reactor internals, auxiliary systems, nuclear design, design margin, thermal hydraulics, safety analysis, I&C, manufacturing, testing, licensing, and operations.
Develop engineering standards, technical methodologies, design principles, and best practices that improve engineering quality and organizational effectiveness.
Influence corporate technology strategy through collaboration with executive leadership and engineering management teams.
Identify emerging technical risks and opportunities affecting reactor technology development and commercialization.
Communicate complex technical issues and provide direction on key design trades, technical decisions, requirements allocation, system interfaces, and design margins affecting reactor system performance and safety.
Lead or support major design integration reviews to ensure structures, systems, and components are compatible, accessible for installation and maintenance, and aligned with safety, construction, and lifecycle requirements.
Prepare and review reactor systems design documentation and supporting engineering analyses, including design descriptions, drawings, test plans, reports, specifications, calculations, design decision records, thermal/structural/system analyses, FMEAs, hazard analyses, and design margin assessments.
Maintain knowledge of and assess compliance with applicable codes and standards such as ASME, ANSI, ASTM, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, and other relevant industry standards.
Assist in cost, schedule, and risk assessments related to reactor system design, testing, fabrication, integration, and deployment activities.
Mentor engineers across Reactor Systems and adjacent technical teams, including coaching on design rigor, engineering judgment, documentation quality, and cross-functional integration.
Represent Reactor Systems in high-impact technical discussions, design reviews, readiness reviews, audits, and executive-level technical briefings.
Promote a strong engineering culture focused on safety, technical excellence, accountability, clarity, and efficient execution.
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a related technical discipline is required.
20+ years of progressively increasing technical leadership experience in nuclear reactor design, reactor systems engineering, advanced technology development, complex mechanical systems, high-temperature systems, or similarly regulated engineering environments is required.
Demonstrated experience leading major technical scope across complex engineering programs, preferably involving nuclear, energy, chemical, oil and gas, or power generation systems is required.
Recognized technical authority with demonstrated contributions to the advancement of advanced reactor technology, complex engineered systems, or related engineering disciplines through technical leadership, publications, patents, standards development, invited presentations, or equivalent achievements preferred.
Experience working within formal configuration management, design control, or product lifecycle management systems under a recognized quality program such as ASME NQA-1, ISO 9001, or equivalent is desired.
Experience with applicable codes and standards such as ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII Division 1 and 2, Section III Division 5, ANSI, ASTM, ASME Y14.5, or related standards is desired.
Experience participating in or leading formal technical reviews, readiness reviews, design reviews, or safety-related engineering reviews.
Experience communicating complex technical issues to executive, regulatory, quality, manufacturing, operations, or cross-functional stakeholders.
Occasionally requires schedule flexibility.
Occasionally requires extended hours to support critical project timelines, fabrication activities, testing, or deployment milestones.

Benefits & Perks

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)
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