Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Components

Forge Atomics; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical coverage

Vision coverage

Dental coverage

401(k)

Paid vacation

Parental leave

Sick leave

Job summary

Forge Atomics in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County seeks a Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Components to own the most critical component developments for Ember, a 25 MWe reactor.

You’ll design, analyze, produce layouts, assemble, and test valves, heat exchangers, and drive mechanisms, balancing cost, performance, and deployability. Lead and mentor engineers, conduct first-principles trade studies, and collaborate across systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of mechanical design/hands-on manufacturing experience.
• Experience acting as a technical lead — scoping work, reviewing designs and processes, and guiding other engineers to successful outcomes.
• Hands-on experience with fluid, gas, or thermal systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop state-of-the-art, manufacturable flow control devices (valves, regulators, solenoids), mechanisms (control-rod drive mechanisms), and heat exchangers through end-to-end ownership (design, analysis, production layout, assembly, environmental testing, and reactor integration).
• Validate reliability of hardware and designs with rigorous testing: thermal cycling, pressure cycling, shock, vibration, and radiation embrittlement.
• Collaborate with peers from different systems to develop designs that balance cost, efficiency, and deployment logistics.
• Support the assembly of your hardware in the factory, witness your designs being brought to life daily, and watch them power an abundant, clean future.
• Provide training and mentorship to junior components engineers, setting the standard for technical rigor across the team.

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Test instrumentation

Control components

Pressure transducers

Thermocouples

Job description

Humanity faces two critical challenges: securing reliable energy and aggressively lowering our environmental impact. At Forge, we believe nuclear fission is the key to solving both at once. Today Forge is developing the technology to rapidly scale the deployment of nuclear fission.

Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Components

As a components engineer at Forge, you'll be responsible for some of the most critical pieces of Ember, our 25 MWe nuclear reactor. Components engineers at Forge serve as hardware experts across fluid and electromechanical devices that drive the critical capabilities of our system - from the valves that control steam flow to the turbine to the heat exchangers that transfer thermal energy from the primary to secondary loop. In this role, you will have the opportunity to utilize your knowledge, experience, and creativity to develop novel solutions at the cutting edge of nuclear energy. Sr. Components Engineers will own the most critical component developments while setting the technical bar for the components engineering team.

Responsibilities

Develop state-of-the-art, manufacturable flow control devices (valves, regulators, solenoids), mechanisms (control-rod drive mechanisms), and heat exchangers through end-to-end ownership (design, analysis, production layout, assembly, environmental testing, and reactor integration). Question requirements, delete parts and processes, simplify/optimize, accelerate, and automate component deliveries

Validate reliability of hardware and designs with rigorous testing: thermal cycling, pressure cycling, shock, vibration, and radiation embrittlement. Design experiments to ground analysis, develop fixturing, and create technical reports based on results

Collaborate with peers from different systems to develop designs that balance cost, efficiency, and deployment logistics

Support the assembly of your hardware in the factory, witness your designs being brought to life daily, and watch them power an abundant, clean future

Provide training and mentorship to junior components engineers, setting the standard for technical rigor across the team

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related technical discipline

5+ years of mechanical design/hands-on manufacturing experience

Preferred Skills and Experience

Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills, enthusiasm for problem solving, and desire to enable abundant clean energy

5+ years of experience designing and analyzing mechanical systems via professional work experience, project/research-based student experience, or a combination of both

Experience acting as a technical lead — scoping work, reviewing designs and processes, and guiding other engineers to successful outcomes

Ability to perform trade studies and make clear recommendations using first principles and engineering fundamentals even with partial information

Experience working at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position that required a scrappy, entrepreneurial manner to accomplish tasks with tight time or budget constraints

Hands-on experience with fluid, gas, or thermal systems

Experience using test instrumentation and control components (e.g. pressure transducers, thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, relays, solenoid valves, etc.)

Knowledge of electro-mechanical devices, actuators, pumps, valves, regulators, or other fluid and position control devices

Additional Requirements

Position will be based in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County and will require relocation if not already local. The position will be full-time in the office.

Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary

Ability to travel to reactor construction sites in other states as necessary

Compensation and Benefits

Pay range:

Senior: $140,000.00 - $190,000.00/per year + equity

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at Forge. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or stock options, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, paid vacation, paid parental leave, and various other perks. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

Forge is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Forge is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

This position involves access to technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Any job offer made will be contingent upon the applicant's capacity to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls.