Senior Structural Engineer

Aalo Atomic; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary based on technical level

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Aalo Atomics, based in Austin, Texas, is seeking a Senior Structural Engineer to lead design and analysis of the Aalo reactor building and related structures. You will develop design criteria, perform advanced analyses, and generate regulatory-ready documentation supporting DOE safety basis and NRC licensing.

The role requires at least 8 years of structural experience, familiarity with ASCE 7, ACI/AISC codes, and expertise in FEA tools such as ANSYS, ABAQUS, or SAP2000.

Qualifications

• BS in Civil or Structural Engineering; MS/PhD preferred.
• 8+ years of structural engineering experience, nuclear or safety-critical preferred.
• Licensed PE (or actively pursuing) in a US jurisdiction.
• Experience with ASCE 7, ACI 318/349, AISC 360/N690, and ASCE 4/43.

Responsibilities

• Develop design criteria for reactor building and supporting structures.
• Perform seismic design and qualification analyses per DOE/ASCE standards.
• Prepare structural calculation packages and reports for DOE/NRC reviews.
• Incorporate modular/factory-built configurations into designs.
• Conduct FEA (static, modal, response spectrum, time-history).
• Coordinate with geotechnical and civil consultants.
• Review vendor deliverables and resolve EPC questions.

Skills

Structural design

Finite element analysis

Regulatory compliance

FEA software

Education

BS in Civil/Structural Engineering

MS/PhD preferred

Tools

ANSYS

ABAQUS

SAP2000

Jama Connect

Teamcenter

Job description

Aalo Atomics is pioneering a new era in clean energy with factory-fabricated reactors designed to deliver affordable, scalable, and reliable nuclear power. Our mission is to make nuclear energy globally accessible, starting with the Aalo-1, a 10 MWe reactor leveraging cutting‑edge safety, modularity, and efficiency. Based in Austin, TX, we’re rapidly growing as we work to deploy the world’s first fleet of advanced microreactors. Join us and help revolutionize energy for a sustainable future.

About the role

The Senior Structural Engineer will support the structural design and analysis of the Aalo reactor building and associated structures. This role is responsible for developing design criteria, performing advanced analyses, and ensuring regulatory-ready documentation that can support DOE safety basis and NRC licensing requirements. The position will operate in a fast‑paced environment where design, analysis, and documentation occur in parallel.

What you'll do

• Support the structural design basis for the Aalo reactor building and supporting structures, including load combinations, code applicability, and design criteria documents that carry across the fleet.
• Support seismic design and qualification per DOE-STD-1020 and ASCE 4/43, including response spectrum and time-history analysis of safety‑related structures and SSCs.
• Develop and review structural calculation packages, stress reports, and design drawings to a standard suitable for DOE safety basis or NRC licensing review.
• Drive structural input into modular and factory‑built configurations, including transportation and handling load cases, lifting and rigging analyses, and field‑joint design for shop‑to‑site assembly.
• Perform finite element analysis (static, modal, response spectrum, time-history) for reinforced concrete, structural steel, and steel‑plate composite elements using ANSYS, ABAQUS, SAP2000, or equivalent.
• Coordinate with external geotechnical and civil consultants on site‑specific items such as foundations, soil‑structure interaction inputs, and excavation support, without owning those scopes directly.
• Review vendor structural deliverables (shop drawings, weld procedures per AWS D1.1 and AISC N690, NDE plans) and resolve technical questions from EPC and manufacturing partners.

Required Qualifications

• BS in Civil or Structural Engineering. MS or PhD preferred.
• 8+ years of structural engineering experience, with preferably 4 years on nuclear or other safety‑critical facilities (DOE nuclear, NRC‑licensed plants, DoD critical infrastructure, LNG, or comparable).
• Demonstrated ownership of structural calculation packages that have passed independent design verification or regulatory review.
• Working knowledge of ASCE 7, ACI 318/349, AISC 360/N690, and ASCE 4/43.
• Proficiency with at least one major FEA package and the hand‑calculation discipline to sanity‑check FEA output.
• Licensed PE (or actively pursuing licensure) in a US jurisdiction.
• Comfort working in a fast‑moving environment where design, analysis, and documentation run in parallel rather than in sequence.

Preferred Skills

• Direct experience with precast concrete and/or steel‑plate composite (SC) modular construction.
• Familiarity with sodium‑cooled reactor structural considerations: thermal cycling, sodium spill and fire load cases, and secondary containment structural response.
• Background in modular, transportable, or factory‑built nuclear systems, including managing the design transitions between shop fabrication, transport, and field installation.
• Site‑specific seismic hazard literacy: SSHAC study products, CEUS-SSC, and how they translate into design ground motions.
• Familiarity with NQA-1 quality program requirements for engineering work.
• Working knowledge of configuration management tools (Jama Connect, Teamcenter, or similar).
• Background that bridges structural and nuclear disciplines, or willingness to build into the nuclear side rapidly.

Requirements

Must be based in the United States

Must be willing to work on‑site at our headquarters in Austin, Texas

What It Takes to Succeed at Aalo

We're building technology that will help reshape the future of energy. The pace is fast, the problems are difficult, and the expectations are high. Successful team members consistently demonstrate:

Extreme Ownership — You take responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks. You proactively identify problems, drive solutions, and follow through.

A Passion for Solving Hard Problems — You are energized by challenges that others avoid and enjoy finding practical solutions to complex technical issues.

A Sense of Urgency — You move quickly, make thoughtful decisions, and maintain momentum while balancing quality and execution.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary based on technical level
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off

Additional Information:

Aalo Atomics provides a collaborative and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, intellectually challenging careers, and competitive compensation. Aalo Atomics is an equal opportunity employer and considers all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Persons in compliance with 10 CFR Part 810 and may not hold non‑compliant foreign citizenships.