Senior Software Engineer

Oklo Inc; United States; Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible time off

Equity

401k

Health insurance

Flexible work hours

Job summary

Oklo Inc. is seeking an experienced software engineer to design systems for nuclear reactor data storage and lead CI/CD pipelines in a fast-paced startup. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience and a Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Responsibilities include developing innovative tools for reactor design and mentoring team members. Compensation ranges from $160,000 to $200,000 with benefits such as flexible time off and health insurance.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• Experience designing and operating CI/CD pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of systems for storing reactor data.
• Architect and own CI/CD pipelines for analyses.
• Develop tools for reactor engineers to visualize designs.
• Mentor other engineers and set technical direction.

Skills

Fluency in Python

Strong proficiency with Git

Project ownership

Strong communication skills

Curiosity for nuclear power

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent

Tools

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

Join us in pioneering the next generation of nuclear reactors! You'll leverage your software skills alongside nuclear engineers to model, simulate, design, and deploy advanced fission power technology. You will work at the front‑line of the nuclear industry, developing novel techniques to reach new levels of safety, efficiency, and resiliency. Come be a part of powering the future with advanced fission power plants to provide clean, reliable, affordable energy.

Position Description

Oklo is a fast‑moving startup where you will be responsible for tackling a wide range of challenges in reactor design and analysis. A nuclear background is not required, but a healthy curiosity and eagerness to learn are essential in this role.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Lead the design of systems for storing and retrieving reactor data and physics results at scale
• Architect and own CI/CD pipelines for multiphysics analyses, ensuring reliability, observability, and reproducibility of complex simulations
• Develop tools and platforms that enable reactor engineers to visualize, compare, and evaluate reactor designs
• Develop physics kernels to solve unanswered problems, or to improve performance of existing models
• Develop reactor optimization schemes and statistical experiments to inform design changes
• Mentor other engineers, set technical direction, and contribute to building a strong engineering culture

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, or equivalent work experience
• 8+ years of professional software engineering experience
• Fluency in Python
• Strong proficiency with Git
• Experience designing, implementing, and maintaining CI/CD pipelines
• Demonstrated ability to own projects end‑to‑end: requirements gathering, architecture, implementation, testing, deployment, and iteration
• Strong communication skills and experience collaborating with cross‑functional partners (e.g., scientists, analysts, or domain experts)
• Curiosity and passion for nuclear power, closing the nuclear fuel cycle, and sustainable energy generation

Bonus Qualifications

• Proficiency in Rust
• Proficiency in Typescript/Javascript (especially Svelte)
• Experience growing and mentoring small software teams or organizations
• Experience designing and operating large data collection or analysis pipelines
• Experience with optimization, statistics, and design of experiments
• Knowledge of GitLab CI/CD
• Prior work developing and implementing software quality assurance programs and testing strategies, especially in quality‑oriented or safety‑focused industries
• Experience working in regulated environments (e.g., energy, aerospace, medical, automotive)

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.

Motivated: You are self‑motivated, bring enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking out.

A team‑player: Oklo genuinely is a team. We aren’t about taking credit for ourselves, nor about placing blame on others.

An excellent communicator: We need someone who is technically competent and a clear, upbeat communicator.

Creative: When things fall outside clear scopes or processes or when problems arise without clear solutions, you can identify it and invent ways to solve 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 communication and the image of the company.

Travel Requirements

Remote employees are required to travel to headquarters (Santa Clara, CA) twice a quarter, attending team meetings, off‑sites, and other company events. The first two weeks of onboarding require in‑person presence at headquarters.

Compensation

$160,000‑$200,000

Benefits

Flexible time off, equity, competitive pay, 401k, 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.