Senior Structures Engineer (Nuclear)

Location: Los Angeles, USA. The role requires working long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones.

Salary: $145,000–$190,000 per year, plus a significant stock option package.

Company

hirify.global is a Series C startup developing mass-producible, inherently safe microreactors for terrestrial, underwater, and space applications, with contracts involving military services, NASA, and the Department of Energy.

What you will do

• Lead the design, analysis, and development of reactor structures, including core restraint mechanisms, control drum supports, primary heat exchanger vessel supports, and other safety-significant components.
• Perform thermal, mechanical, and structural analyses to size, lay out, and optimize structural systems.
• Define system architecture, operating limits, design margins, and concepts of operation across all operating conditions.
• Prepare calculations, specifications, interface definitions, design reports, and technical justifications for design reviews, verification, and licensing.
• Lead component- and system-level testing, including test articles, fixtures, instrumentation plans, and validation procedures for performance, durability, and lifecycle reliability.
• Coordinate with reactor, thermal, manufacturing, licensing, procurement, and suppliers on integration, design reviews, fabrication, assembly, and deployment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of professional experience designing, analyzing, and developing structural systems for demanding engineering applications.
• Experience with structural design, hand calculations, material selection, bolted and welded joint design, load path development, and thermo-mechanical trade studies.
• Experience using finite element analysis tools to assess structural performance, stress, deformation, fatigue, and thermal loading.
• Knowledge of structural design principles, materials, bolted and welded joints, and load path development.
• Ability to work effectively on multidisciplinary engineering teams and communicate technical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents, refugees, asylees, or eligible to obtain the required U.S. Department of State authorizations under U.S. Government export regulations.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree or higher in Mechanical, Aerospace, Civil, or Nuclear Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Proficiency with ANSYS Mechanical, Abaqus, Nastran, or equivalent FEA software.
• Knowledge of thermal stresses, creep, fatigue, fracture, buckling, corrosion, and high-temperature material performance.
• Experience applying ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, AISC, ACI, AWS, NASA, or other applicable structural and mechanical standards.
• Experience as a Technical Lead or Responsible Engineer leading work from concept through design, testing, qualification, and hardware deployment.
• Experience developing first-of-a-kind hardware in nuclear, aerospace, defense, energy, or other safety-critical industries.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on first-of-a-kind microreactor hardware with a multidisciplinary team from aerospace, nuclear, defense, energy, and national laboratory backgrounds.
• Values include systems thinking, end-user focus, unconventional problem-solving, nuanced decision-making, and direct engagement with customers and stakeholders.
• Deep work can be performed remotely, but the organization aims to maximize in-person collaboration.
• The role includes a significant stock option package.
• Travel and face-to-face stakeholder engagement may be required when the work demands it.

Hiring process

• Salary placement within the stated range will reflect experience, education, skills, and abilities demonstrated during the interview process.
• Technical work may be presented during internal and external design reviews.