Design for Manufacturing - Fission

Zap Energy Inc.; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Zap Energy Inc. seeks a Senior Design for Manufacturing Engineer to ensure manufacturability and producibility in the ZMR program.

You will influence geometry, tolerances, materials, and joining processes early in design to enable FOAK producibility and eventual mass production. Responsibilities include leading design-to-cost and should-cost efforts, PFMEA, and DFMA/DFX analyses, while collaborating with design, manufacturing, testing, and quality teams to reduce risk and cost without

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field from an ABET-accredited program.
• 8–10 years in DFM/DFX and producibility for hardware with codes/standards.
• Experience with regulated, low-volume high-consequence hardware (nuclear/aerospace/defense) preferred.
• Strong GD&T, PFMEA, tolerance analysis, and cost-reduction leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as design-side advisor to manufacturing to ensure early producibility.
• Influence geometry, tolerances, materials, and join/process selection before design freeze.
• Lead design-to-cost and cost-reduction efforts across ZMR components.
• Develop should-cost baselines and identify cost drivers across material, geometry and process.
• Inform design inputs with DFM/DFA/DFX analyses and PFMEA.
• Collaborate across design, manufacturing, testing, and QA teams; feed cost insights into decisions.

Skills

DFM

DFA

DFX

GD&T

PFMEA

Should-cost

Cost reduction

CAD

Education

ABET-accredited engineering program

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Zap is advancing the next generation of nuclear power technology across fusion, fission and hybrid applications. Built on an integrated platform of high-energy-density physics and pulsed power, liquid metals and advanced materials, and compact, modular systems, Zap is building the foundational technologies needed to deploy the energy sources of the future.

Zap Energy is seeking a Senior Design for Manufacturing Engineer to support the Zap Modular Reactor (ZMR) program. In this role, you will be responsible for the manufacturability and producibility inside the design process for a liquid metal-cooled fission reactor, ensuring that the design is buildable, inspectable, and scalable. This role will work upstream of fabrication where you will be influencing geometry, tolerances, processes, requirements and integration early. Successful candidate will take the lead on design-to-cost and cost-reduction strategy from the earliest design phases. The near‑term focus is first-of-a-kind (FOAK) producibility, while maintaining a longer-term horizon toward mass production. This role requires identifying and solving ill‑defined first-of-a-kind problems. Being a team player is foundational to success in this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Design for Manufacturing & Producibility: Serve as the design‑side advisor of manufacturing, ensuring producibility is designed in early. Influence geometry, tolerances, materials, and joining/process selection before design freeze. Apply DFM, DFA, and DFX methods, GD&T and tolerance stack‑up analysis, and process risk assessment (PFMEA) to reduce build risk, rework, and non‑conformance. Key system components include:
• Section VIII, Division 1 Vessels
• Section III, Division 5 Vessels
• ASME B31.3 Piping
• Other bespoke, high‑temperature components
• Design‑to‑Cost & Cost Reduction: Lead up‑front design‑to‑cost and cost‑reduction strategy across ZMR components. Establish should‑cost baselines, identify cost drivers in material, geometry, and process, and drive value‑engineering and producibility trades that lower total cost without compromising quality or code compliance.
• Tooling & Process Strategy: Recommend and advise manufacturing and tooling strategy as design inputs including process concepts, fixturing approaches, and their implications for geometry and tolerancing.
• Scale‑Up & Producibility at Volume: Build and maintain longer‑term mass‑production horizon in view by informing design‑for‑volume and producibility‑at‑volume constraints into the design. Provide forward‑looking throughput, capacity, and make/buy considerations as design inputs, while the near‑term emphasis remains FOAK producibility. Lead producibility assessments, DFM/DFA/DFX analyses, design‑to‑cost and cost‑reduction plans, and make/buy recommendations.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Work with design, manufacturing, testing, and integration teams to ensure manufacturability and to feed producibility and cost insight back into the design. Participate in design, producibility, and manufacturing reviews with DFM/DFA/DFX and cost analysis.
• Quality Assurance: Perform work within a graded quality assurance program. Identify and recommend right‑sized, producible solutions that improve execution efficiency, especially across cross‑organizational functions related to quality assurance.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field from an ABET‑accredited program is required.
• Technical Experience: At least 8-10 years of experience in design for manufacturing, producibility, or manufacturing/process engineering of hardware subject to industrial codes and standards. Experience with regulated, low‑volume, high‑consequence hardware (nuclear, aerospace, or defense) is strongly preferred.
• Technical Skills: Expertise in DFM, DFA, and DFX practice. Proficiency in GD&T and tolerance stack‑up analysis, and in PFMEA and process risk assessment. Demonstrated ability to lead design‑to‑cost and should‑cost analysis. Working knowledge of manufacturing and fabrication processes (welding, machining, additive manufacturing) and familiarity with ASME Codes & Standards. Familiarity with mass manufacturing processes. Proficiency in CAD software.
• Communication: Excellent technical writing skills and the ability to clearly present complex information to both internal and external stakeholders, including regulators.
• Licenses/Certifications: Professional Engineer (PE) license, formal DFMA/DFM training, or Six Sigma certification is a bonus.

Personal Attributes and Skills

• Strong commitment to safety, quality, and ethical standards in engineering, including the ability to infuse this commitment throughout the organization.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with attention to detail.
• Self‑starter and can‑do attitude.
• Familiarity and competence with basic program management processes and tools.
• Outside the box thinking, grounded in practical engineering solutions.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
• The ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Adaptability, resilience, and commitment to continuous learning.

Employment may be conditioned upon the ability to obtain export authorization. Estimated salary range: $180,000‑210,000 annually. Candidates may be considered for other positions at Zap Energy and actual salary will be based on relevant education, experience, and other qualifications. Range is published in accordance with Washington Equal Pay and Opportunity Act.

Zap Energy is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.