Nuclear Engineer (Lead)

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 n o reactor science or new fuel to invent , we have n o 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 b acked by Alpaca VC, Transition, and Morpheus Ventures. About the role: Applied Atomics is seeking a Nuclear Engineer to own and drive the technical development of our reactor core, fuel, and associated nuclear systems. As one of our first nuclear engineering hires, you will define the nuclear architecture of our system, lead early-stage reactor and fuel design efforts, and act as the primary technical interface with our reactor-licensing partners. Your work will span reactor physics, core design, neutronics modeling, shielding, nuclear safety, fuel performance, and design adaptation of licensed reactor technology. This role is ideal for someone who wants broad responsibility, thrives in a fast-paced hardware environment, and is excited to build and eventually lead a world-class nuclear engineering team. 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 Nuclear Design & Analysis Own reactor physics, neutronics, shielding, and nuclear design activities from concept through deployment. Develop and refine core design, reactivity coefficients, kinetics parameters, feedback mechanisms, and neutron energy spectra. Perform radiation transport, shielding, and criticality safety analyses. Conduct transient and accident-scenario evaluations to support design decisions and safety basis development. Perform dose consequence and source-term calculations (normal operations + beyond design basis events). Modeling & Simulation Build and maintain reactor physics, shielding, and fuel performance models. Computer energy deposition distributions, power profiles, isotopic depletion, and fuel cycle analyses. Verify model assumptions and assess margin/conservatism across analyses. Lead Verification & Validation (V&V) efforts for nuclear analysis tools and workflows. Fuel, Materials, & Reactor Integration Support fuel form selection, cladding and structural material evaluation, and…