Senior Mechanical Engineer, Fuel Handling — Onsite in Austin

Aalo Atomics; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 112,500 - 137,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Aalo Atomics is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and operate test infrastructure for Fuel Handling Systems. You’ll validate mechanical systems in challenging environments in a hands‑on role that blends engineering judgment with practical fabrication skills.

Based in Austin, TX, the role demands ownership, adaptability, and rapid iteration to move concepts to reality while supporting testing, qualification, and commissioning activities. Travel to test sites is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 6+ years of hands‑on engineering experience.
• Experience with fabrication, assembly, or electro‑mechanical testing.
• Strong mechanical intuition and troubleshooting ability.
• Comfortable working with incomplete requirements and high ownership.

Responsibilities

• Design and build test rigs for mechanical, thermal, and fluid system validation.
• Execute tests on components such as valves, seals, hoists, and handling mechanisms.
• Develop test strategies for systems operating in sodium, inert gas, and high‑temperature environments.
• Instrument systems (pressure, temperature, force, radiation proxies, etc.) and collect high‑quality data.
• Diagnose failures and work with design engineers to iterate quickly.
• Perform hands‑on fabrication, assembly, and modification of test hardware.
• Develop procedures for testing sodium vaporization, sealing performance, and mechanism reliability.
• Document results and clearly communicate findings, risks, and blockers.
• Support system integration and commissioning efforts.
• Travel occasionally to test sites or reactor installations.

Skills

Hands-on engineering

Mechanical intuition

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Fabrication/assembly experience

Instrumentation & data acquisition

Job description

Aalo Atomics is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to design, build, and operate test infrastructure for Fuel Handling Systems. You’ll validate mechanical systems in challenging environments in a hands‑on role that blends engineering judgment with practical fabrication skills.

Based in Austin, TX, the role demands ownership, adaptability, and rapid iteration to move concepts to reality while supporting testing, qualification, and commissioning activities. Travel to test sites is expected.