Fuel Performance Engineer

Oklo Inc; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible time off

Equity

401(k)

Health insurance

Flexible work hours

Job summary

A clean energy startup is seeking a Fuel Performance Engineer to conduct fuel performance analyses and verification for power plants. This role involves modeling, documentation, and collaboration with various teams. Candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree in engineering and 3 years of experience with multi-physics performance analysis and finite element software like Ansys or Abaqus. A passion for clean energy and a creative, team-oriented mindset are essential. Competitive salary and benefits offered.

Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in fuel performance analyses.
• Experience with finite element simulation.
• Experience with material analysis.

Responsibilities

• Analyze fuel design performance under various conditions.
• Develop methodologies for design confidence.
• Validate modeling and simulation tools.

Skills

Multi-physics system performance analyses

Finite element simulation software

Object-oriented programming

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Ansys

Abaqus

Python

C++

Job description

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Fuel Performance Engineer to join our team.

Position Description

Fuel Performance Engineers at Oklo are responsible for the fuel performance analyses and verification of current and future fuel design for Oklo's Aurora powerhouses. This includes engineering analyses, modeling and simulation, clear and thorough documentation of the analyses, as well as interfacing with our reactor design, fuel fabrication, and licensing teams.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Analyzing current and novel fuel design performance across expected operating conditions and postulated off-normal conditions.
• Devising analysis methodologies that efficiently and effectively build confidence in a design, which can include software development of modeling and simulation tools.
• Verification and validation of modeling and simulation tools in support of analyses.
• Supporting experimental fuel campaigns.
• Collaborating cross-functionally to provide technical feedback to design teams.
• Documenting work using modern tools and techniques, and writing well‑written, thoughtful technical reports.

Competencies

• Passionate about clean energy and making advanced fission a reality.
• Willing and able to learn quickly and adapt to evolving challenges.
• Eager to work in a dynamic team, receive constructive feedback, and grow with us.
• Comfortable in a fast‑paced, highly iterative startup environment where we think differently and do things in new ways.
• Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflectively about the problems they are solving.
• Willing to propose novel and creative solutions to technical problems.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, plus 3 years of experience.
• Experience with multi‑physics system performance analyses.
• Experience with finite element simulation software (e.g., Ansys, Abaqus).
• Experience with material analysis.
• Experience with an object‑oriented programming language (e.g., Python, C++).

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience with nuclear fuel performance analysis.
• Familiarity with metallic fuels.
• Experience with fuel analysis and fuel performance software (e.g., BISON, LIFE‑METAL, etc.).
• Experience in material selection and material analysis.
• Fluency in Python.

Who you are

• A startup person: You aren't driven by titles or hierarchy, and prefer efficiency to excess process. You don't need or expect to have a lot of guidance but you enjoy working in a fast‑paced team. If you prefer the culture and feel of a large organization, that is great, but you likely won’t enjoy working with us!
• Motivated: You are self‑motivated and bring an enthusiasm to the team, imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and out. This isn’t about a fake or arbitrary “pieces of flair” mentality or lack of work‑life balance; it is about being a part of the vision and feeling a part of reaching team goals.
• A team‑player: Oklo genuinely is a team. We aren’t about taking credit for ourselves or pushing blame to others; we do incredible things because we work as a team.
• An excellent communicator: We need a person who is technically competent and also a clear and upbeat communicator.
• Creative: Being creative means that when things fall outside clear scopes or processes or when problems arise without clear solutions, you can identify it and invent ways to solve a problem or fill a need without micromanagement.
• Detail‑oriented: This focus is a big part of excellence, consistency, and quality. Excellent grammar and spelling matter for both good communication and the image of the company that we put forward.

About Oklo travel requirements

Oklo requires remote employees to travel to headquarters (Santa Clara, CA) twice a quarter annually, based on business or team needs, including attendance at team meetings, off‑sites, and other company events or gatherings. For the first two weeks of onboarding, employees are required to be in person at headquarters in Santa Clara, CA.

About Oklo compensation

Salary: $120,000‑$165,000 (may fall outside of the range provided and will be dependent on applicant experience).

Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, competitive pay, 401(k), health insurance, FSA, flexible work hours, and other benefits.

About Oklo Inc.

Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale; establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes; and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site‑use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.

Oklo’s Values

• Collaboration: We go further, together. We bring diverse perspectives, listen actively, and build trust through transparency and respect. We work across disciplines, sharing ownership to turn complex challenges into shared successes.
• Humility: We are team players who act for the good of the company and the world. We are focused on our mission, not personal recognition.
• Ownership: We take pride in what we do and how we do it. We are proactive in finding solutions and see tasks through to completion. We are committed to delivering on our promises to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
• Pathfinding: We chart new ground where no path exists by approaching challenges with curiosity, courage, and creativity while navigating ambiguity.

Recruitment Fraud Disclaimer

Oklo is aware of recent recruitment fraud attempts targeting job seekers. Please be cautious of anyone claiming to represent Oklo who does not contact you from an official Oklo email address. All legitimate communications from our recruiting team — including application updates, interview requests, and job offers — will come exclusively from an @oklo.com email. Oklo will never ask for sensitive personal information, payments, or account credentials during the hiring process. If you receive suspicious outreach or have concerns about the authenticity of any communication claiming to be from Oklo, please contact us through the official channels listed on our website.