Facilities Design Engineer - Fuel Fabrication

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Facilities Design Engineer to join our Fuel Fabrication Team.

Position Description

As a Facilities Design Engineer on Oklo’s fuel fabrication team, you’ll be responsible for providing technical oversight, review, and direction for contract engineering firms developing HVAC and fire protection designs for nuclear fuel-cycle facilities. This role acts as an owner’s engineer, ensuring that contractor-produced designs meet nuclear safety requirements, support radiological confinement, and comply with all applicable codes, standards, and QA programs. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, technically capable, and well-versed in the rigor required in nuclear environments.

This is a highly cross-functional role where technical excellence and a collaborative mindset are equally valued.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Oversee and review HVAC and fire protection designs developed by external engineering firms for fuel-cycle facilities (hot cells, gloveboxes, UF₆ processes, radiological labs)
• Verify contractor deliverables—including drawings, calculations, specifications, and analyses—for technical accuracy, code compliance, and alignment with the facility safety basis.
• Ensure contractor adherence to NQA-1, configuration control, design verification, and nuclear QA documentation requirements.
• Evaluate design approaches for pressure cascades, confinement ventilation, HEPA filtration, exhaust/airflow management, and hazard-classified fire protection systems.
• Provide clear technical direction, comments, and resolution guidance to contractors and ensure timely incorporation of design changes.
• Coordinate between internal stakeholders (safety basis, operations, QA, procurement, I&C, electrical) and contract engineering firms to maintain design integration.
• Participate in design reviews, readiness assessments, and constructability evaluations as the facility’s technical authority.
• Communicate with contractors, project managers, and internal stakeholders effectively and professionally.
• Document decisions, design basis changes, and comment resolutions accurately for audit-ready traceability.
• Maintain oversight of multiple contractor design packages, comment cycles, and submittals.
• Track deadlines, milestones, design maturity, and revision control.
• Provide clear, actionable feedback to external firms while maintaining schedule, quality, and scope alignment.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5+ years of HVAC and/or fire protection design experience in fuel-cycle, nuclear, or highly regulated industrial facilities is highly preferred
• Bachelor’s or higher degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Nuclear Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience reviewing and overseeing work performed by external engineering or A/E design firms.
• Strong understanding of radiological confinement ventilation, HEPA filtration, glovebox/hot cell exhaust, and hazard-classified fire protection systems.
• Knowledge of NFPA, ASHRAE, IMC/IFC, DOE/NRC regulations, and NQA-1 quality requirements.
• Proven ability to function in a collaborative team environment on projects through the full development cycle—from concept and design to testing and production
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document and present engineering work
• Comfortable working with external manufacturers and engineering consultants

Bonus Qualifications:

• Experience with advanced reactor technologies (e.g., microreactors, fast reactors, SMRs).
• Familiarity with regulatory processes (NRC, DOE, ASME code compliance).
• Familiarity with nuclear QA requirements (NQA-1 or equivalent)
• Exposure to vendor qualification, commercial-grade dedication, or nuclear-grade procurement.
• Prior owner’s-engineer or design oversight role in nuclear or process facilities.
• Experience with DOE O 420.1C, safety basis development, fire hazard analyses, and nuclear design interfaces.
• Prior involvement in safety analyses, design reviews, or licensing workflows.
• Basic knowledge of nuclear fission and radiation effects on materials and components

Competencies

We are looking for a Facilities Design Engineer that:

• Demonstrates strong commitment to nuclear safety, radiological protection, and conservative decision-making.
• Has a deep knowledge of confinement ventilation, HEPA filtration, pressure cascading, glovebox and hot-cell exhaust, and off-gas systems.
• Has a strong understanding of hazard-classified fire protection systems, clean-age