Nuclear Operations Engineer

OKLO; Santa Clara (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible time off

Equity

Bonuses

401(k)

Health insurance

HSA / FSA

Job summary

Oklo is seeking a Nuclear Operations Engineer to join the Operations Engineering team. The role focuses on translating designs and safety requirements into practical operating procedures for safe commissioning and startup of Oklo facilities.

The position is primarily remote, with travel and temporary onsite assignments as needed to support commissioning campaigns, operational projects, and design reviews. Candidates should have strong technical writing and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

Qualifications

• Strong technical writing, verbal communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage changing priorities.
• Willingness to travel for commissioning, startup, and project activities.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and maintain operational programs, processes, standards, and documentation.
• Translate program requirements into clear, executable procedures.
• Provide input for normal, abnormal, emergency, surveillance, and alarm-response operating procedures.
• Work with SMEs to develop, review, verify, and validate operating procedures.
• Support system turnover, testing, commissioning, startup, and readiness activities.
• Provide onsite technical and operational support during major project activities.

Skills

Technical writing

Verbal communication

Problem solving

Independent work

Education

Bachelors in nuclear engineering or related technical field

Job description

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Nuclear Operations Engineer to join our Operations Engineering team.

Position Description

The Nuclear Operations Engineer supports the development and implementation of the operational capabilities needed to safely commission, start up, and operate Oklo facilities. This role translates plant designs, safety requirements, and program requirements into practical methods for operating the plant and conducting operational work.

The Nuclear Operations Engineer helps develop operational programs and the procedures used to implement those programs. The role also provides technical and operational input for normal, general, abnormal, emergency, surveillance, alarm-response, and administrative operating procedures. Working with procedure writers, system engineers, and other subject‑matter experts, this engineer helps ensure procedures are technically accurate, operationally practical, and aligned with plant design and program requirements.

This role also supports system turnover, testing, commissioning, startup, and operational-readiness activities across Oklo projects. The Nuclear Operations Engineer may serve as a system owner, technical lead, procedure subject‑matter expert, test engineer, or field operations resource depending on the project phase and organizational need.

The Nuclear Operations Engineer works across Operations, Engineering, Regulatory, Safety Analysis, Human Factors, Maintenance, Training, Commissioning and Startup, and other organizations to ensure that Oklo facilities can successfully transition from design and construction into safe and reliable operation.

This position is primarily remote. Travel and temporary onsite assignments will be required as needed to support Oklo facilities, commissioning and startup campaigns, operational projects, design reviews, vendor activities, training, and other company priorities.

Specific responsibilities may include:

Develop, implement, and maintain operational programs, processes, standards, and supporting documentation

Translate operational-program requirements into clear, practical, and executable implementing procedures

Provide technical and operational input for normal, general, abnormal, emergency, surveillance, alarm-response, and administrative operating procedures

Work with procedure writers, system engineers, and other subject-matter experts to develop, review, verify, and validate operating and program-implementing procedures

Develop operating strategies, operating philosophies, system operating concepts, technical bases, and other foundational operations documents

Translate design-basis, safety-basis, regulatory, and program requirements into practical operational requirements, methods, and work products

Serve as a system owner, operations representative, technical lead, or subject-matter expert for assigned systems, programs, or project activities

Provide operations input during plant and system design reviews to improve operability, maintainability, testability, reliability, human performance, and personnel safety

Evaluate plant systems as an integrated facility, including the interfaces and dependencies among reactor, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and controls, heat‑transport, balance‑of‑plant, and supporting systems

Support systemization, construction turnover, system acceptance, preoperational testing, commissioning, startup testing, and operational-readiness activities

Develop or review test plans and procedures and support the safe execution, evaluation, and documentation of plant testing

Provide onsite technical and operational support during commissioning, startup, major testing, outages, and other significant project activities

Confirm plant configuration, system readiness, procedure adequacy, prerequisites, test boundaries, and operational controls before and during field activities

Incorporate field experience, testing results, design changes, and lessons learned into operational programs, procedures, training, and future plant designs

Support evaluation of integrated plant response to normal evolutions, anticipated operational occurrences, transients, equipment failures, and accident conditions

Participate in the development and review of control‑room interfaces, human‑machine interfaces, alarm strategies, operator displays, controls, and automation

Identify the personnel, qualifications, training, tools, procedures, and organizational capabilities needed to commission, start up, and operate Oklo facilities

Support operator training, qualification, simulator development, operational drills, and readiness activities

Participate in readiness reviews, assessments, inspections, corrective‑action activities, and resolution of operational issues

Provide operational feedback to engineering and program teams to improve plant designs and enable repeatable deployment of future Oklo facilities

Build effective working relationships with internal teams, contractors, national laboratories, regulators, vendors, and other external stakeholders

Support multiple Oklo projects and facilities as priorities and project phases evolve

Qualify as an Oklo plant operator or complete other assigned technical qualifications, as applicable

Maintain awareness of fast‑reactor design, operating experience, testing, research, and relevant industry developments

Minimum Qualifications:

At minimum, we are looking for:

Bachelor’s degree in nuclear, mechanical, electrical, chemical, or another relevant engineering or technical discipline; equivalent directly applicable nuclear operational experience may be considered in lieu of a degree

Five or more years of experience in nuclear operations, nuclear engineering, commissioning and startup, power generation, naval nuclear propulsion, national laboratory operations, or another highly regulated technical environment

Experience developing or implementing operational programs, technical procedures, operating procedures, test procedures, or similar controlled work instructions

Working knowledge of integrated plant systems and the relationships among mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and controls, and process systems

Experience translating technical, regulatory, design, safety, or program requirements into executable operational plans, procedures, or work activities

Experience reading and interpreting technical documents such as drawings, piping and instrumentation diagrams, system descriptions, specifications, calculations, safety analyses, and operating procedures

Demonstrated ability to work across engineering and operational disciplines to resolve complex technical and organizational issues

Strong technical writing, verbal communication, and problem‑solving skills

Ability to work independently, manage changing priorities, and make sound decisions using incomplete or evolving information

Ability and willingness to travel and complete temporary onsite assignments in support of Oklo projects and facilities

Ability to support shift work, extended hours, or weekend activities during commissioning, startup, testing, or other major project evolutions when required

Ability to obtain and maintain unescorted access to nuclear facilities, if required

Bonus Qualifications:

Nice‑to‑haves include:

Experience as a reactor operator, senior reactor operator, shift technical advisor, system operator, engineering watchstander, or other nuclear facility operator

Current or previous NRC Reactor Operator or Senior Reactor Operator license or certification

Relevant qualification through the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, such as Engineering Officer of the Watch, Propulsion Plant Watch Officer, or Engineering Watch Supervisor

Experience supporting first‑of‑a‑kind nuclear facilities, advanced reactors, microreactors, research reactors, or Department of Energy nuclear facilities

Experience with sodium‑cooled fast reactors, liquid‑metal systems, or fast‑reactor technology

Experience with plant construction, systemization, construction turnover, preoperational testing, commissioning, startup testing, or operational‑readiness reviews

Experience developing or implementing conduct‑of‑operations, configuration‑management, work‑control, tagging, surveillance, equipment‑status‑control, or other operational programs

Experience developing, reviewing, verifying, or validating nuclear operating and program‑implementing procedures

Experience evaluating integrated plant response, transient behavior, heat removal, reactivity control, or functional containment

Experience with human factors engineering, control‑room design, alarm management, human‑machine interfaces, digital control systems, simulators, or operator‑in‑the‑loop testing

Familiarity with applicable NRC requirements, Department of Energy requirements, industry standards, and nuclear safety and quality‑assurance programs

Experience supporting operator training and qualification programs

Experience working with regulators, national laboratories, contractors, customers, vendors, or other external technical stakeholders

We are looking for a [ ] engineer that is:

• Passionate about clean energy
• Passionate about making advanced fission a reality
• Willing and able to learn quickly
• [Highly skilled with Monte Carlo neutronics tools such as MCNP, SERPENT, and Open‑MC]
• [Skilled with deterministic fast reactor tools, or willing and eager to learn]
• Eager to work on a dynamic team, receive constructive feedback, and grow with us
• Willing to think differently and do things in new ways
• Comfortable in a fast‑paced, highly iterative startup environment
• Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflectively about the problems they are solving, while not leaning only on what has been done before
• Willing to propose novel and creative solutions to technical problems
• An excellent writer who can write in modern active voice, so make your cover letter compelling and write it well!
• Able to communicate technical content and results verbally

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! There is plenty of important work and plenty of good opportunities with organizations like that.

Motivated: You are self‑motivated. You bring an enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking 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, and we aren’t about pushing blame to others. We do incredible things because we work as a team.

An excellent communicator: We need a person who is not only technically competent but also a clear and upbeat communicator.

Creative: Being creative means that when things fall outside clear scopes or processes or problems arise without clear solutions, you are able to identify it as well as invent ways to solve a problem or fill a need without micromanagement. The successful person in this job will not only be creative, but also enjoy being creative and solving open‑ended problems which may change day‑by‑day.

Detail‑oriented: This focus is a big part of excellence, consistency, and quality. Excellent grammar and spelling matter for both good communication as well as the image of the company that we put forward.

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.

Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, bonuses, competitive pay, 401(k), health insurance (with employer contribution), HSA, FSA, flexible work hours, wellness credits, and other benefits.

This position may involve access to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Only applicants who meet the definition of a U.S. person under applicable laws may be eligible.

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.

#CHOP: 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 for 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.

Candidates should be aware that employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a drug screening, and employees may be subject to drug testing at any time in accordance with company policy and applicable laws.

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.

Voluntary Self‑Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self‑identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Oklo’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three‑year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.