Mechanical Designer

Kairos Power; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Kairos Power seeks a skilled Designer III adept in mechanical design and drafting to support its engineering teams. The position demands proficiency in SolidWorks and involves creating precise technical drawings and models. Candidates will collaborate closely with engineers, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices while contributing to critical projects in the nuclear energy sector.

Benefits

Competitive compensation packages

Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees

Paid Vacation

401(k) and pre-tax health insurance benefits

Qualifications

• 7+ years’ experience designing and drafting complex systems.
• Expertise in SolidWorks.
• Strong experience in checking engineering drawings.

Responsibilities

• Develop accurate 2D technical drawings and 3D CAD models.
• Translate design concepts into complete design packages.
• Collaborate with engineers to verify design details.

Skills

SolidWorks

Mechanical Design

Technical Drawing

Communication

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Designer III

Company Overview

Kairos Power, is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Job Summary

Kairos Power is seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Designer III with expertise in mechanical design and drafting. This position supports our engineering and manufacturing teams by producing precise 2D technical drawings and 3D models for complex systems and components. The ideal candidate is proficient in SolidWorks, demonstrates strong organizational and communication skills, and contributes actively to the design and documentation process.

Responsibilities

• Develop accurate 2D technical drawings and 3D CAD models for mechanical systems, components, P&ID schematics, and electrical layouts based on engineering input.
• Translate design concepts, calculations, and specifications from engineers into complete and review-ready design packages.
• Collaborate closely with engineers and project managers to understand requirements, verify design details, and recommend improvements in alignment with company standards and industry best practices.
• Annotate drawings with appropriate numerical designations, dimensions, and specifications using CAD tools and manual checks where necessary.
• Coordinate with manufacturing personnel to produce detailed layout drawings and provide design support throughout the fabrication process.
• Deliver design documentation that meets deadlines and includes all required technical details by applying established standards and leveraging multiple drafting methods.
• Conduct peer reviews of engineering drawings for completeness, dimensional accuracy, and compliance with drafting standards.
• Maintain configuration control of CAD files and design documentation using PDM systems to ensure proper versioning and traceability.
• Contribute to the development and standardization of design document templates and processes by participating in design reviews, team meetings, and documentation initiatives.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in either mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, drafting and design, or other design discipline.
• Expert SolidWorks user with 7+ years’ experience designing and drafting complex systems, components and weldments.
• Solidworks Professional certification, preferred but not required.
• Strong experience checking engineering drawings for technical accuracy, clarity, dimensional precision, material/process specification, and conformance to standards.
• Experience with Weldments and applying AWS A2.4 standards.
• Experience with manufacturing processes such as machining, metal forming, waterjet cutting and CNC programming.
• Experience creating work instructions, bills of materials and job routers for fabrication.
• Proven team player with excellent interpersonal, written, presentation, and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to create and maintain cross-functional working relationships and communicating design concepts and information with technicians, engineers, and manufacturing personnel.
• Experience with PDM Vault, management of large assemblies (100+ parts), configuration management, revision-controlled documents, and BOMs desired.
• Experience with prototyping, manufacturing, and assembly processes desired.
• Experience with weldments, electro-mechanical assemblies, machined parts, hydraulic and pneumatic systems desired.
• Experience designing with high temperature molten salt or other high temperature fluid systems desired.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to perform stack-up analysis between multi-part systems to ensure proper fit.
• Good understanding of GD&T and application of ASME Y14.5 tolerancing.
• Solid modeling, drawing creation, and ability to follow ASME 14.100 drafting standards.
• Strong attention to detail and mathematical abilities, including ability to perform basic calculations for designs
• Familiar with welding processes including weld prep, weld callouts and weld process specifications
• Knowledge of converting CAD files to STEP, IGIS, DXF, DWG for manufacturing purposes
• Ability to function in a fast-paced small company environment with minimal direction and adjust workload based upon changing priorities
• Ability to work within a highly collaborative team
• Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently
• Prioritizes and ensures safety of oneself and others
• Ability to proactively collect, manage, and transfer knowledge
• Ability to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges, and issues

Physical Demands

• Remaining in a stationary position for prolonged periods
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another
• Communicating with others to exchange information

Environmental Conditions

• General office environment
• Noisy environments (if visiting manufacturing areas to collaborate)
• Accessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned
• High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced
• Autonomously driven and demanding atmosphere

Safety and PPE

• Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs
• Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions
• Color identification: detecting, distinguishing, recognizing and identifying colors
• Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes, etc. as required

Travel

• Some travel may be required (up to 20%) to other Kairos Power offices and customer locations

Certification

• Solidworks Professional certification, preferred but not required.

Additional Requirements

• Requires occasional overtime (if position is non-exempt)
• Requires occasional non-standard work-week hours
• Requires occasional extended hours to support launch and critical project timelines
• #LI-Onsite
• #LI-Hybrid

About our Benefits

We know that we have some of the most talented and dedicated employees, and we believe in rewarding them accordingly. If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents
• Paid Vacation
• 401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)

Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. Kairos Power is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We actively welcome people of different experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.

Note: You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy’s general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. The following questions are intended to determine the licensing requirements that may apply. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/10/appendix-A_to_part_810

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