Reactor Core Mechanical Engineer
Bethesda, MD - USA
Job Summary
The ocean is the largest undeveloped frontier on earth and the next chapter of abundant energy will be written at sea. Were building the infrastructure to power it.
Ocean Atomics is an American company designing licensing and assembling a standardized nuclear electric power plant and the surrounding support systems for maritime applications. We will install these plants on any vessel built to our nuclear-ready standards and will provide end-to-end sustainment in our planned nuclear lifecycle dockyard. We will help develop the licensed operators to unlock this new capability for your energy intensive application at sea. To move fast and to lead the creation of this new market we are leveraging the compact proven systems enabled by water-cooled reactors.
Scale nuclear energy. Power generations.
A maritime commons thriving with abundant economical modern and safe nuclear-powered activity built serviced and staffed by re-industrialized American shipyards and people.
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Reactor Core Mechanical Engineer to help us scale nuclear energy at sea. You will design and analyze the mechanical components and internals of the reactor core with a focus on discerning and optimizing operation in dynamic marine environments. Flow-induced vibration ship motions and shock loading reshape structural integrity implications across the cores service life. Your analysis is what separates a reactor designed for a fixed terrestrial foundation from one engineered to operate reliably in maritime conditions.
This is a role were hiring at multiple levels. The work is shared across levels; scope and accountability scales with experience.
The ideal candidate is genuinely curious about how to improve upon 60 years of nuclear reactors at sea and is uniquely competent in tackling the core mechanical engineering challenges required to design license and produce a reactor system that allows commercial reactors to unlock the potential of the ocean.
Design and analyze core mechanical components and internals for structural integrity fatigue and wear across operating transient and accident conditions including those unique to the maritime domain.
Evaluate flow-induced vibration of fuel assemblies control elements and internals and develop design features to mitigate wear and dynamic effects in marine operational load profiles.
Assess the effects of ship motions and dynamic/shock loading on core mechanical performance and structural margins.
Coordinate with thermal-hydraulics fuels and structural teams to integrate mechanical design with flow thermal and neutronic requirements.
Document mechanical analyses design basis and qualification results and support design reviews testing campaigns and regulatory documentation.
At more senior levels you will additionally:
Lead system-level decisions on core mechanical architecture and material selection.
Mentor newer engineers and review their analyses.
Interface directly with our regulatory team on NRC-facing documentation packages.
Drive cross-team trade studies across thermal-hydraulics fuels and structural domains.
Required
Bachelors degree in mechanical or nuclear engineering required
Experience in mechanical design and structural analysis of reactor core components or internals.
Proficiency with finite element analysis and structural/vibration tools (e.g. ANSYS ABAQUS or equivalent).
Working knowledge of flow-induced vibration fatigue and dynamic/shock loading analysis.
Strong grounding in solid mechanics materials behavior and structural dynamics
Preferred
Background in naval architecture marine engineering or offshore energy.1
Experience with PWRs first-of-a-kind reactor designs or small modular reactor (SMR) programs.
Advanced degree in mechanical or nuclear engineering.
Dont meet every bullet Wed still like to hear from you. If youre excited by the mission and most of this resonates apply.
Export control notice
This role involves access to information subject to U.S. export control laws including unclassified nuclear technology governed by the U.S. Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. Depending on a candidates status access may require DOE authorization which Ocean Atomics may apply for. Any offer is contingent on your ability to work in compliance with these requirements. We evaluate all applicants regardless of citizenship or national origin except where required by law.
Every industry on Earth needs scalable clean energy and the ocean is the ideal place to unlock it. Joining Ocean Atomics means building real lasting infrastructure the kind that powers generations. The world needs abundant energy. Lets make it happen.
We are committed to a workplace free of discrimination and do not discriminate on the basis of race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin age disability genetic information veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations; if you need an accommodation during the application process contact
Required Experience:
IC