Staff Mechanical Engineer (Nuclear)

Location: Torrance, California, United States; onsite role. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Base salary: $173,000–$211,000 USD per year.

Company

Advanced energy startup developing scalable, high-temperature nuclear power systems, fuel fabrication, and factory-made energy technology for industry, hydrogen, and next-generation manufacturing.

What you will do

• Lead mechanical design for major subsystems, balancing performance, manufacturability, cost, and reliability.
• Create detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering drawings using SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or similar tools.
• Perform or oversee structural, thermal, and fluid analyses using FEA and CFD.
• Oversee prototype fabrication, assembly, testing, and design improvements based on test results.
• Collaborate with electrical, manufacturing, systems engineering teams, and vendors on integration, DFM feedback, process selection, and quality control.
• Mentor junior engineers and improve internal practices for design documentation and configuration management.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in mechanical design and product development.
• Proven experience designing and delivering production-ready hardware.
• Expertise in CAD, mechanical drafting standards, materials, manufacturing processes, and mechanical systems.
• Experience performing or overseeing FEA and CFD analyses.
• Strong communication, technical documentation, leadership, and mentoring skills.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience with high-performance or safety-critical systems in aerospace, energy, or defense.
• Deep knowledge of DFM/DFA, reliability engineering, PLM/PDM tools, and design control processes.
• Hands-on prototyping, testing, validation, and root cause investigation experience.

Culture & Benefits

• High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy.
• Equity ownership and opportunities for rapid career growth.
• Comprehensive medical benefits.
• Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite.
• Direct collaboration with experienced operators, engineers, and industry leaders.