Mechanical Equipment Design Engineer – Uranium Process Systems

Oak Ridge, TN | Hybrid | Relocation Available

Design, Build, and Commission Equipment for Advanced Uranium Processing

Nano Nuclear Energy is seeking a Mechanical Equipment Design Engineer to develop and commission specialized equipment supporting uranium conversion and deconversion technologies. This is a hands-on engineering opportunity to turn process requirements into practical equipment designs and work directly on assembly, commissioning, troubleshooting, and scale-up.

Reporting to the VP of Fuel Technologies, you will collaborate with process engineers, equipment fabricators, and suppliers to develop reliable, maintainable equipment for laboratory and demonstration-facility operations.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Own equipment development: Translate process requirements into mechanical designs, specifications, layouts, and equipment interfaces.
• Work beyond the design office: Participate directly in equipment assembly, commissioning, troubleshooting, and modification.
• Solve complex engineering challenges: Address materials compatibility, corrosion, thermal performance, containment, and mechanical reliability.
• Influence technology scale-up: Help develop equipment that supports the transition from laboratory work to demonstration-scale operations.
• Collaborate with vendors and technical teams: Evaluate equipment proposals, review fabrication drawings, and support testing and commissioning.

What You'll Do

• Design and specify process equipment, including reactors, vessels, furnaces, kilns, powder-handling systems, gas and vacuum systems, condensers, scrubbers, and modular process skids.
• Translate temperature, pressure, flow, reaction, solids-handling, and containment requirements into fabricable, operable equipment designs.
• Participate in equipment fabrication reviews, assembly, installation, alignment, leak testing, commissioning, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Address corrosion, erosion, thermal expansion, sealing, insulation, fatigue, contamination control, and other equipment reliability challenges.
• Design for maintainability, cleanout, inspection, decontamination, component replacement, and remote handling where appropriate.
• Prepare procurement specifications, evaluate vendor proposals, review drawings, and support factory and site acceptance testing.
• Evaluate scale-up effects on heat transfer, mixing, solids transport, gas distribution, residence time, and process performance.
• Maintain controlled engineering documentation and assess design changes for process, safety, and product-quality impacts.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Experience designing process equipment for chemical, nuclear, ceramic, high-temperature, vacuum, powder-processing, or specialty manufacturing systems.
• Hands-on experience building, modifying, commissioning, maintaining, or troubleshooting laboratory, pilot, or demonstration-facility equipment.
• Strong knowledge of pressure and temperature systems, thermal equipment, gas systems, rotating or solids-handling equipment, mechanical interfaces, fabrication methods, and maintainability.
• Experience developing equipment specifications and working with fabricators, machine shops, integrators, or equipment vendors.
• Ability to prepare and maintain engineering calculations, drawings, equipment lists, interface requirements, and commissioning records.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with nuclear fuel-cycle or radiological process equipment.
• Familiarity with fluorine or UF6 service, corrosion-resistant materials, gloveboxes, confinement systems, or vacuum equipment.
• Experience with high-temperature furnaces, rotary equipment, powder feeders, dryers, kilns, or gas-solid reaction systems.
• Experience developing modular pilot plants or skid-mounted process equipment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Hybrid work arrangement in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
• Relocation package available.
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with up to 5% company match.
• Unlimited PTO, company holidays, and paid parental leave.
• Mentorship, technical leadership, and professional development opportunities.

E3 - Senior Engineer I $110k-$160k

E4 - Senior Engineer II $135k - $185k

E5 - Principal Engineer I $160k - $215k

E6 – Principal Engineer II $185k -$255k

Ready to Put Your Designs to Work?

If you are a mechanical engineer who enjoys solving practical equipment challenges, working directly with hardware, and bringing specialized process systems from design through commissioning, we invite you to explore this opportunity with Nano Nuclear Energy.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NANO Nuclear Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply.