Deploy the next generation of energy infrastructure with Applied Atomics 

Applied Atomics delivers firm, clean electricity with proven technology. We design, build, and operate nuclear plants directly alongside the facilities they power. With no reactor science or new fuel to invent, we have no reason to stall. We are the first fully integrated nuclear power provider built to deploy now. Founded by a team of engineers and operators who built the launch sites, test complexes, and factories behind SpaceX, designed and commercialized nuclear reactors, and ran billion-dollar asset portfolios, the team is now focused on clean power deployment. Applied Atomics is backed by Alpaca VC, Transition, and Morpheus Ventures.

About the role:

Applied Atomics is seeking a Fuels Engineer to support the design, analysis, and development of the nuclear fuel system for our next generation reactor.  As an early technical hire, you will work closely with our nuclear engineering team to evaluate commercial fuel designs, perform fuel performance modeling, assess material behavior under irradiation, and support the integration of fuel into the overall reactor core design. As an early technical hire, you will interface closely with external fuel suppliers, understand fabrication and QA constraints, and translate commercial fuel design data into internal models and design decisions.  

This role is ideal for someone who understands commercial LWR fuel behavior, enjoys multi-disciplinary engineering, and wants to help build and qualify a FOAK (first-of-a-kind) system based on proven nuclear fuel technology.  

Why we need you

We are transitioning nuclear energy from a theoretical science into a practical reality, and that requires practical problem-solvers. We need engineers who are eager to take direct responsibility for their work and see it through to completion. Your role will be critical in transforming complex designs into safe, reliable, and operational power plants that will operate for decades to come. 

What you will do

Fuel Design & Development 

• Support the design of the reactor’s fuel system, including fuel form, pellet/compact/slug geometry, cladding, and standard assembly geometries.  
• Evaluate fuel thermal and mechanical behavior including pellet-clad interaction, fission gas release, swelling, densification, creep, corrosion, and cladding oxidation.  
• Analyze fuel performance under stead-state, transient, and accident conditions using validated models and industry methods. 
• Coordinate with commercial nuclear fuel suppliers to obtain design data, fabrication constraints, mechanical tolerance, and irradiation performance information.