Core Mechanical Design - Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale. They are seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer responsible for designing core assemblies and components for advanced reactors, taking designs from conceptual to final stages while ensuring manufacturability and compliance with engineering standards.

Responsibilities:

• Develop the design of these components to satisfy both performance and manufacturing requirements
• Create and develop design documentation to define requirements
• Conduct and participate in design reviews, providing and receiving technical feedback
• Rigorously evaluate mechanical designs to identify deficiencies and proactively propose and implement solutions
• Generate and maintain detailed 3D CAD models, 2D drawings, and bills of materials using controlled processes in PDM/PLM systems
• Coordinate closely with analysis teams to guide and interpret thermal, structural, fatigue, and safety analyses in support of design validation
• Perform detailed manufacturability reviews, tolerance studies, and DFM/DFA assessments to prepare components for fabrication and assembly
• Contribute to continuous improvement of Oklo’s mechanical design processes, tools, and standards through feedback and development of best practices

Requirements:

• 5-10 years of industry experience in mechanical or structural design within sectors such as aerospace, automotive, energy, or industrial equipment
• Bachelor's or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling software (e.g., Siemens NX, CATIA, SolidWorks), including part modeling, large assemblies, and detailed drawings
• Experience with CAD version control using PDM/PLM tools (e.g., Teamcenter, SolidWorks PDM, Windchill)
• Solid understanding of mechanical design principles, including DFM (Design for Manufacturability), DFA (Design for Assembly), and tolerance stack-up analysis
• Ability to apply GD&T per ASME Y14.5-2018 (or other similar standard) to engineering drawings
• Working knowledge of material selection (particularly metals), manufacturing methods, and fabrication techniques
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate on cross-functional teams, integrating feedback from analysis, manufacturing, and systems engineering
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document and present engineering work
• Comfortable working with external manufacturers and engineering consultants for fabrication and analysis support
• Background in designing components for high-integrity or safety-critical systems (e.g., nuclear, aerospace, defense, or heavy industry)
• Proven ability to lead hardware projects through the full development cycle—from concept and design to testing and production
• Comfortable working with manufacturers and engineering consultants for fabrication and analysis support
• Knowledge of manufacturing and inspection processes
• Experience with precision machine design and tolerancing
• Understanding of thermal-mechanical analysis principles, with experience designing for high-temperature environments
• Basic knowledge of nuclear fission and radiation effects on materials and components
• Exposure to simulation tools (e.g., ANSYS) and scripting languages (e.g., Python) is a plus
• ASME GD&T Professional certification (Senior or Technologist Level) is a plus
• Proficiency with Siemens NX CAD software is a plus