Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Fluids

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

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401(k) plan

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Forge Atomics in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County is seeking a Sr. Fluids Mechanical Engineer to design and deliver high‑reliability fluid systems for nuclear reactor applications.

You will own the most complex fluid networks, drive detailed analyses, and partner with our in‑house build shop to scale manufacturing while meeting aggressive test timelines. The role values extreme ownership, leadership of junior engineers, hands‑on testing, and decision making from first principles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of engineering experience designing, analyzing, and building mechanical hardware.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills and leadership capabilities.
• Experience leading technical reviews and guiding other engineers.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and deploy fluid systems to support rapid reactor build and test timelines.
• Perform detailed fluids analysis to characterize and troubleshoot expected design performance.
• Work closely with our in-house build shop to scale the manufacturing line for your system.
• Support critical reactor test campaigns & operations, provide troubleshooting and technical support.
• Develop and maintain detailed timelines to capture and communicate project progress.
• Make high-value decisions on the fly, using feedback to iterate designs and processes.
• Provide training and mentorship to junior fluids engineers.

Skills

Strong interpersonal and collaborative

Lead experience

Trade studies

Hands-on testing

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Pressure transducers

Thermocouples

RTDs

Relays

Solenoid valves

Job description

Forge Atomics

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, Fluids

As a fluids engineer at Forge, you’ll be responsible for designing hardware to manage the complex network of fluids, piping, and plumbing required to operate a nuclear reactor. Fluids engineers at Forge will be responsible for designing tightly packaged fluid systems optimized for low cost, ease of manufacturability, and ultra-high reliability in a nuclear environment with challenging access. Sr. Fluids Engineers will own the most complex fluid systems while setting the technical bar for the fluids engineering team. Successful candidates will have previously demonstrated extreme ownership in designing, testing and delivering complex and high reliability fluid systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and deploy fluid systems to support rapid reactor build and test timelines

• Perform detailed fluids analysis to characterize and troubleshoot expected design performance

• Work closely with our in-house build shop to develop and own the scaling of the manufacturing line for your system

• Support critical reactor test campaigns & operations, provide troubleshooting and technical support

• Develop and maintain detailed timelines to capture and communicate project progress

• Make high-value decisions on the fly, use feedback to continuously iterate and develop both product and process

• Provide training and mentorship to junior fluids 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 engineering experience designing, analyzing, and building mechanical hardware

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 fluid 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.)

• Experience designing highly integrated and complex fluid systems in high reliability environments

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

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.