Principal Mechanical Engineering Specialist

Principal Mechanical Engineering Specialist - UF6 Separator Design & Industrialization

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, build, scale-up, and industrialization of a specialized vacuum system at the core of our CRISLA UF6 enrichment process.
• This role will own mechanical execution from concept and detailed design through vendor fabrication, integration, testing, design iteration, and production-ready release.
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) and engineering calculations is desirable for structural, thermal, vacuum, and mechanical integrity assessments.
• The role requires close collaboration with cross-functional engineering teams, operations personnel, machine shops, fabricators, and external contractors to deliver high-quality hardware that meets performance, quality, safety, schedule, and manufacturability requirements.
• System Design and Scale-Up: Lead the mechanical design and development of UF6-rated vacuum systems, translating laboratory and prototype concepts into scaled, reliable, manufacturable industrial equipment.
• 3D CAD and Detailed Mechanical Design: Create and own complex 3D CAD assemblies, production drawings, mechanical interfaces, tolerances, GD&T, bills of material, and release packages for separator hardware and supporting systems.
• Design for Manufacturability and Industrialization: Develop designs for repeatable fabrication, assembly, alignment, serviceability, maintainability, and cost-effective production. Drive simplification and standardization as designs mature.
• Mechanical and Structural Analysis: Apply engineering calculations and FEA, where appropriate, to assess structural integrity, thermal effects, vibration, vacuum and pressure loading, deflection, and mechanical stability.
• UF6-Service Mechanical Design: Design components and assemblies for UF6 process service with attention to materials selection, seals, vacuum integrity, cleanliness, corrosion compatibility, containment, and maintainability.
• Prototype-to-Production Development: Build and iterate prototypes, capture lessons learned, resolve design weaknesses, and establish production-ready configurations for scaled separator systems.
• Assembly, Integration, and Testing: Lead hardware assembly, fit-up, alignment, integration, leak testing, mechanical acceptance testing, and troubleshooting of the engineered systems and supporting equipment.
• Fabrication and Vendor Management: Work directly with fabrication vendors and contractors to define requirements, resolve manufacturability issues, review shop drawings, track quality, and ensure delivered hardware meets engineering specifications.
• Machine Shop Interface: Interface closely with machine shops to bring 3D CAD designs to reality. Strong knowledge of CNC machining, precision fabrication, welding, 3D printing, and additive manufacturing is highly desirable.
• Systems Integration: Coordinate mechanical interfaces among engineered hardware, vacuum systems, gas-handling equipment, instrumentation, supports, enclosures, and facility interfaces to ensure an integrated and serviceable system.
• Documentation and Configuration Control: Prepare and maintain comprehensive engineering documentation, including specifications, drawings, bills of material, design reports, test records, change documentation, and technical presentations relevant to the nuclear industry.
• Project Execution, Quality, and Safety: Lead design reviews and mechanical work packages, manage technical priorities and schedules, close design issues, and ensure compliance with performance, quality, safety, and applicable nuclear-sector requirements.

Education, Qualifications & Required Skills

• Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Experience

• Minimum 15-20 years in mechanical engineering, preferably involving complex industrial, vacuum, gas-handling, nuclear, or process equipment. Nuclear industry experience is desired. ·
• The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in 3D CAD design, mechanical system development, fabrication, assembly, and transition of prototype equipment into robust, repeatable industrial hardware.

Working Conditions

• Onsite role – Oak Ridge, TN.
• Monday – Friday, Full Time; Occasional overtime is expected for ensuring deliverables.
• Ability to perform field work (stand, walk, climb stairs/ladders, don PPE, lift to ~30–50 lbs. occasionally).
• Periodic off-hours support for emergencies, outages, audits, or commissioning.
• Limited travel (<10–15%) to vendor, regulatory, or partner sites.

Benefits

• Competitive salary (based on experience – starting range $160,000 annually), potential stock options and performance incentives
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), disability and life
• Paid time off, paid holidays and professional development support
• Relocation assistance available