Reactor Engineer Jobs
Reactor Engineer jobs are open across nuclear power generation, defense, national laboratories, and advanced reactor development, from early-career to senior principal levels, with specializations in reactor physics, fuel cycle engineering, and thermal hydraulics. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 25+ Reactor Engineer jobs
About Radiant
Radiant is an El Segundo, CA-based startup building the world’s first mass-produced, portable nuclear microreactors. The company’s first reactor, Kaleidos, is a 1-megawatt, fail-safe microreactor that can be transported anywhere power is needed and run for up to 5 years without refueling. Portable nuclear power with rapid-deploy capability can replace similar-sized diesel generators and provide critical asset support for hospitals, data centers, remote sites, and military bases. Radiant’s unique, practical approach to nuclear development leverages modern software engineering to rapidly deliver safe, factory-built microreactors that use existing, well-qualified materials. Founded in 2020, Radiant is on track to test its first reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory this summer, with initial customer deliveries beginning in 2028.
As the Lead Reactor Operations Engineer, you will direct the team providing operational insights to ensure the development of Kaleidos and its functionality meet the requirements for safe, efficient, and reliable reactor operations and commissioning. This position will oversee and approve the development of reactor operating interfaces, conduct of operations, and procedures. You will also go one step further and qualify as a Kaleidos Reactor Operator yourself – always remaining technically hands on.
Responsibilities & Duties:
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Reactor Operations Engineers, setting technical priorities aligned with test, commissioning, and operational milestones.
Qualify as an operator to gain firsthand experience and ensure the team's work aligns with real-world execution.
Establish the conduct of operations and fleet monitoring processes for Kaleidos reactors.
Support development of control algorithms for semi-autonomous and/or manual operations.
Support the evaluation of integrated plant response to various events, accidents, and malfunctions.
Participate in design reviews and provide feedback from an operations and maintenance perspective.
Ensure all team deliverables meet DOE and NRC standards, maintaining strict formatting, clarity, and usability in procedural documentation.
Recruit, hire, and develop engineering talent to scale the team with Radiant's growth.
Required Qualifications & Skills:
6+ years of full-time professional engineering experience, including system design, analysis, or testing, with 2+ years in a formal or informal technical leadership role.
Familiarity with the interrelationships and dependencies of reactor systems, encompassing nuclear, mechanical, I&C and electrical systems - and their response as an integrated power plant system.
Licensed as Senior Reactor Operator or Naval equivalent.
Ability to apply first principles thinking to solve problems and make decisions in uncertain or ambiguous situations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Background in highly regulated industries (e.g., nuclear, aerospace, aviation, maritime).
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop technical teams, managing and making decisions on risk, while remaining hands-on.
Desired Qualifications & Skills:
Prior experience working as an operator in nuclear environments (e.g., nuclear energy, naval reactors, or radiation-controlled facilities), with familiarity in safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and high-reliability operations.
3+ years of full-time nuclear operations experience.
Licensed as Senior Reactor Operator or Naval equivalent.
Hands-on experience in developing technical procedures, human factors engineering, or operational interface design.
Prior operations background such as mission control room operator.
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.
Willingness to travel 50% - 60% of the time, as needed for projects.
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: recruiting@radiantnuclear.com.
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.
Compensation Range: $161,288 - $223,650
About Radiant
Radiant is an El Segundo, CA-based startup building the world’s first mass-produced, portable nuclear microreactors. The company’s first reactor, Kaleidos, is a 1-megawatt, fail-safe microreactor that can be transported anywhere power is needed and run for up to 5 years without refueling. Portable nuclear power with rapid-deploy capability can replace similar-sized diesel generators and provide critical asset support for hospitals, data centers, remote sites, and military bases. Radiant’s unique, practical approach to nuclear development leverages modern software engineering to rapidly deliver safe, factory-built microreactors that use existing, well-qualified materials. Founded in 2020, Radiant is on track to test its first reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory this summer, with initial customer deliveries beginning in 2028.
As the Lead Reactor Operations Engineer, you will direct the team providing operational insights to ensure the development of Kaleidos and its functionality meet the requirements for safe, efficient, and reliable reactor operations and commissioning. This position will oversee and approve the development of reactor operating interfaces, conduct of operations, and procedures. You will also go one step further and qualify as a Kaleidos Reactor Operator yourself – always remaining technically hands on.
Responsibilities & Duties:
Lead, mentor, and grow a team of Reactor Operations Engineers, setting technical priorities aligned with test, commissioning, and operational milestones.
Qualify as an operator to gain firsthand experience and ensure the team's work aligns with real-world execution.
Establish the conduct of operations and fleet monitoring processes for Kaleidos reactors.
Support development of control algorithms for semi-autonomous and/or manual operations.
Support the evaluation of integrated plant response to various events, accidents, and malfunctions.
Participate in design reviews and provide feedback from an operations and maintenance perspective.
Ensure all team deliverables meet DOE and NRC standards, maintaining strict formatting, clarity, and usability in procedural documentation.
Recruit, hire, and develop engineering talent to scale the team with Radiant's growth.
Required Qualifications & Skills:
6+ years of full-time professional engineering experience, including system design, analysis, or testing, with 2+ years in a formal or informal technical leadership role.
Familiarity with the interrelationships and dependencies of reactor systems, encompassing nuclear, mechanical, I&C and electrical systems - and their response as an integrated power plant system.
Licensed as Senior Reactor Operator or Naval equivalent.
Ability to apply first principles thinking to solve problems and make decisions in uncertain or ambiguous situations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Background in highly regulated industries (e.g., nuclear, aerospace, aviation, maritime).
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop technical teams, managing and making decisions on risk, while remaining hands-on.
Desired Qualifications & Skills:
Prior experience working as an operator in nuclear environments (e.g., nuclear energy, naval reactors, or radiation-controlled facilities), with familiarity in safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and high-reliability operations.
3+ years of full-time nuclear operations experience.
Licensed as Senior Reactor Operator or Naval equivalent.
Hands-on experience in developing technical procedures, human factors engineering, or operational interface design.
Prior operations background such as mission control room operator.
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.
Willingness to travel 50% - 60% of the time, as needed for projects.
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: recruiting@radiantnuclear.com.
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.
Compensation Range: $161,288 - $223,650
Reactor Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Reactor Engineer JobsReactor Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Manufacturing
- Aerospace & Defense
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in reactor engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in nuclear engineering or closely related field
- Proficiency with reactor physics or thermal-hydraulics codes such as MCNP, RELAP, or SCALE
- Experience with NRC licensing, safety analysis reports, or design-basis calculations
- Active or eligibility for a Department of Energy or Department of Defense security clearance
- Knowledge of nuclear fuel cycle, core design, or reactor operations principles
- Familiarity with 10 CFR regulatory requirements and nuclear quality assurance standards
Tips for Your Reactor Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to reactor type
Light-water reactor experience and advanced reactor design are distinct skill sets to hiring managers. Specify the reactor type, neutron spectrum, and core design tools you've worked with so screeners can immediately place your background against the opening.
Lead with your clearance status
Many reactor engineer roles at national labs and defense contractors require a security clearance. Put your clearance level and current status near the top of your resume so recruiters don't have to hunt for it and your application clears the first filter.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists reactor engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Highlight simulation and analysis tools
Proficiency with MCNP, RELAP, SCALE, or TRACE is often what separates candidates on paper. Name the specific codes, the analyses you ran, and the physical phenomena you modeled rather than listing software generically.
Prepare for design-basis scenario questions
Technical interviews almost always include loss-of-coolant accident scenarios or reactivity management questions. Walk through your analytical approach aloud, reference the safety criteria you applied, and explain how your conclusions fed into licensing or design decisions.
Research the facility's regulatory history
Before your interview, review the plant's or lab's recent NRC inspection reports and any corrective action trends. Referencing a specific technical challenge the site has navigated signals genuine operational awareness and sets you apart from candidates who only studied the job description.
Reactor Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most reactor engineers?
The companies hiring the most reactor engineers right now include CACI International, Kairos Power, and Radiant Nuclear, with the largest share of openings in Texas, California, and Pennsylvania, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Demand is concentrated at nuclear utilities, national laboratories, and advanced reactor developers scaling toward deployment.
How many reactor engineer jobs are remote?
About 44% of reactor engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the hands-on and security-sensitive nature of most reactor work. Roles most likely to allow remote arrangements include reactor physics modeling, fuel cycle analysis, and licensing support that does not require on-site access to plant systems or classified facilities.
How do you become a reactor engineer?
You typically start with a bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering, although mechanical, electrical, or physics degrees with relevant coursework are accepted by many employers. From there, gaining proficiency in industry-standard neutronics or thermal-hydraulics codes is essential. Many engineers enter through internships at national laboratories, nuclear utilities, or reactor vendors, where they build hands-on analysis and licensing experience before moving into full engineering roles.
How do you get hired as a reactor engineer with little experience?
Focus on demonstrating analytical competency with codes like MCNP or RELAP through coursework projects or thesis work, since employers weigh simulation ability heavily at the entry level. Internships at national laboratories or nuclear utility training programs are the most direct path. Applying for roles explicitly labeled junior, associate, or engineer-in-training improves your chances, and obtaining a Fundamentals of Engineering credential can strengthen an early application.
What does the reactor engineer interview process look like?
Most reactor engineer interview processes begin with a recruiter screen focused on clearance eligibility and core technical background. A technical phone or video interview follows, typically covering reactor physics concepts, safety analysis methodology, or a specific code you listed on your resume. Final rounds usually involve a panel with engineering leads who walk through a design-basis or accident scenario in depth, sometimes asking you to review a simplified problem on the spot before discussing your approach.
Where can I find and apply to reactor engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to reactor engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience, specialization, and location preference, then apply directly to each one that fits.
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