Principal Turbomachinery Engineer (Nuclear Energy)

Location: 100% onsite at hirify.global's El Segundo, California headquarters; extended hours and weekends may be required.

Salary: $200,500–$314,475 annually, plus equity.

Company

hirify.global develops transportable, mass-produced nuclear microreactors, including the 1 MW Kaleidos reactor for onsite power across critical infrastructure and commercial applications.

What you will do

• Serve as Responsible Engineer for the turbomachinery mechanical system and own the architecture of high-speed rotating assemblies.
• Lead rotor dynamics, structural integrity, life analysis, detailed component design, tolerancing, alignment, and clearance strategies.
• Define and flow down requirements across thermal, structural, operational, performance, reliability, safety, and regulatory constraints.
• Integrate turbine, compressor, alternator, bearings, seals, materials, and interfaces across mechanical, electrical, thermal, manufacturing, and test teams.
• Drive spin, thermal, and system-level testing; correlate models, investigate failures, troubleshoot hardware, and lead design iteration.
• Provide technical direction, design reviews, risk mitigation, supplier engagement, and roadmap input without direct people management.

Requirements

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience designing high-speed rotating machinery such as turbines, compressors, or similar systems.
• Deep expertise in turbomachinery mechanical design and structural analysis, including bearings, seals, and high-speed shafting.
• Expert-level proficiency with analysis tools such as ANSYS and advanced use of NX and Teamcenter.
• Strong knowledge of tolerancing, GD&T, precision mechanical assembly, and system-level mechanical design.
• Experience owning hardware through design, build, and test cycles, including hands-on assembly, integration, and troubleshooting.
• Strong engineering judgment, mechanical intuition, decision-making, communication, ownership, and accountability for hardware outcomes.
• Ability to influence without authority across cross-functional teams and operate effectively in a fast-paced, first-of-a-kind development environment.

Nice to have

• Experience with closed-loop Brayton-cycle systems or similar energy systems.
• Familiarity with high-temperature materials and extreme-environment design.
• Experience integrating mechanical systems with high-speed electric machines.
• Previous Responsible Engineer experience for complex hardware.
• Experience scaling hardware from prototype to production.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employment with substantial incentive stock, comprehensive medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, and other benefits.
• Eight weeks of paid parental leave for all parents, with additional paid pregnancy leave for California employees.
• Fully covered Nuclear Engineering Certificate Program through Penn State University for eligible employees.
• Flexible PTO, catered lunch, snacks, drinks, team events, and in-person collaboration at the El Segundo headquarters.
• Remote workday allocation is available, while this position itself requires 100% onsite work.

Hiring process

• Compensation level is determined through evaluation of interview performance, experience, education, and qualifications.
• Applications may be submitted directly to recruiting@hirify.globalnuclear.com.
• Any offer is contingent on the applicant's ability to comply with U.S. export controls because the position involves controlled technology.