Senior Nuclear Thermal-Hydraulics Engineer
About the role
About Radiant
Radiant is an El Segundo, CA-based startup building the world’s first mass-produced, portable nuclear microreactors. Rising energy demand is straining the U.S. grid and driving up utility costs, emissions, and interconnection backlogs. Radiant decentralizes energy, producing power close to where it’s used. Its first reactor, Kaleidos, is a factory-built, 1-megawatt, fail-safe microreactor that can be transported by land, sea, or air and runs up to 5 years without refueling. Deployed locally without a decade-long build or permitting fight, Kaleidos provides independent power for critical infrastructure like military bases, data centers, hospitals, and remote sites. Founded in 2020, Radiant is under contract to deliver power to the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and has pre-order agreements with Equinix, with deployments beginning in 2028.
About the Role
Radiant is seeking a Senior Nuclear Thermal-Hydraulics Engineer to lead thermal-hydraulics and coupled physics analysis for the Kaleidos microreactor. You will own the modeling that determines how heat, coolant, and reactor core behavior interact under normal and accident conditions — work that directly informs core design, cooling systems, and safety case development for the first mass-produced nuclear reactor. This role is suited to engineers with reactor-specific thermal-hydraulics or coupled multiphysics experience who want to apply that depth to a fast-moving, factory-built reactor program.
Responsibilities & Duties
Own and execute thermal-hydraulics analysis to evaluate design and safety performance of Kaleidos reactor systems under normal and accident conditions.
Develop and apply coupled physics models integrating thermal-hydraulics with neutronics and/or structural response.
Identify and implement best practices for reactor thermal-hydraulics and systems-code analysis.
Build automated workflows to expand simulation capabilities, accuracy, and efficiency.
Collaborate across reactor physics, mechanical, and safety teams to support licensing and design trade studies.
Required Qualifications & Skills
Bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or similar field from an accredited institution.
5+ years of relevant industry or national laboratory experience.
Experience with thermal-hydraulics analysis and/or reactor systems codes (e.g., RELAP5, TRACE, CTF/COBRA-TF, SAM, TRANSFORM).
Experience with high-temperature (500°F+) heat transfer analysis involving conduction, convection, and radiation.
Experience communicating and distilling technical information with cross-functional teams.
Desired Qualifications & Skills
Experience with coupled multiphysics modeling (e.g., MOOSE, BISON, MARMOT) or neutronics coupling.
Experience with commercial CFD/FEA tools (STAR-CCM+, Ansys Fluent) and CAD (Siemens NX).
Prior experience at a national laboratory, reactor vendor, or advanced reactor developer.
Driven, self-motivated, and takes ownership of work end to end.
Additional Requirements
Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission.
Must work 100% onsite at El Segundo HQ.
Benefits and Perks
Stock: Substantial incentive stock plan for all full-time employees.
Medical: 100% up to base silver level plan for employee + 50% dependents, offers up to Platinum plans.
One Medical: Sponsored memberships for employees and their dependents.
Vision: 100% top tier plan coverage + 50% for dependents.
Dental: 100% top tier plan coverage, orthodontia extra, 50% for dependents.
Voluntary life, accident, hospital, critical illness, commuter and FSA/HSA are offered as employee contributed benefits.
8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees.
Daily catered lunch. Free snacks and drinks.
Flexible PTO policy. Remote workday allocation.
Company and team-bonding events, happy hours and in-person camaraderie.
Beautiful El Segundo headquarters close to the Pacific Ocean.
Total Compensation and Benefits
Radiant compensates people for impact and invests in those who continue to raise the bar. Radiant’s new hire compensation package includes base salary, substantial equity grants, and comprehensive health benefits. Total compensation and level are determined through a rigorous evaluation of interview performance, experience, education, and qualifications, and are designed to support continued growth as scope, responsibility, and impact expand at Radiant.
The best of today’s advanced reactor builders don’t wait for job postings. They join the winning team. If that’s you, contact us directly for immediate opportunities: [email protected].
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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.