Lead Mechanical Engineer – High-Pressure Reactors

Circularity Fuels; California (MO); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Circularity Fuels is seeking an experienced engineer to lead the design of novel chemical reactors from concept to Code-stamped hardware field deployment. Role emphasizes heat management, materials, joining, and ASME Section VIII, Division 1 compliance for high-pressure, high-temperature gases.

You will own end-to-end reactor mechanical design, select architectures, manage ASME processes, qualify joining procedures, perform thermal/structural analyses, and guide scale-up to commercial modules

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering; MS or PhD valued.
• 8+ years designing and delivering pressure equipment, ideally reactors or compact heat exchangers for flammable gas service.
• Experience getting equipment through ASME Section VIII, Division 1, incl. working with an Authorized Inspector; non-welded construction is a plus.
• Experience developing and qualifying brazing or welding procedures under Section IX.
• Metallurgy grounding for high-pressure, high-temperature gas service.
• Proficiency in thermal-structural FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus) and heat transfer analysis.
• Record of taking hardware from concept through fabrication, test and operation.
• Comfort in a startup: rapid work with incomplete information; lab/shop floor hands-on.

Responsibilities

• Own reactor mechanical design end to end: pressure boundary, internals, headers and manifolds, catalyst handling, flow distribution, and modular skids integration.
• Lead design selection by evaluating heat transfer, manufacturability, Code path and cost; choose designs for production.
• Own the ASME Code path; coordinate through ASME Section VIII, Div 1; liaise with Authorized Inspector and fabricators’ quality programs.
• Develop and qualify joining procedures (brazing and welding) under ASME Section IX; run coupon programs, metallography, burst and leak testing.
• Run thermal and structural analysis: thermal stress, cycling and fatigue, pressure loading; tie to CFD models.
• Own materials selection and compatibility for hydrogen, CO, steam, and other gases; ensure compatibility with catalysts.
• Design for safe operation with flammable gas at pressure: relief, containment, leak detection, hazard reviews (HAZOP) with process team.
• Build the supply chain: write specs/drawings for vendors; manage domestic and international fabricators.
• Take prototypes from drawing to test: coupons, prototype modules, pressure/leak testing; instrumented testing on process gas.
• Design for scale: move designs from demonstration units to commercial modules with cost as a primary parameter.

Skills

ASME Section VIII Div 1 experience

Non-welded construction experience

Thermal-structural analysis

Design for flammable gas service

Leadership in design projects

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering

MS or PhD valued

Tools

ANSYS

Abaqus

Job description

Circularity Fuels is seeking an experienced engineer to lead the design of novel chemical reactors from concept to Code-stamped hardware field deployment. Role emphasizes heat management, materials, joining, and ASME Section VIII, Division 1 compliance for high-pressure, high-temperature gases.

You will own end-to-end reactor mechanical design, select architectures, manage ASME processes, qualify joining procedures, perform thermal/structural analyses, and guide scale-up to commercial modules