Material Performance Modeling – Core & Fuel
About Aalo Atomics
Aalo Atomics is pioneering a new era in clean energy with factory-fabricated microreactors designed to deliver affordable, scalable, and reliable nuclear power. Our mission is to make nuclear energy globally accessible, starting with the Aalo-1, a 10 MWe reactor leveraging cutting-edge safety, modularity, and efficiency. Based in Austin, TX, we’re rapidly growing as we work to deploy the world’s first fleet of advanced microreactors. Join us and help revolutionize energy for a sustainable future.
About the role
Aalo is seeking an engineer to model the in-core performance and lifetime of fuel and core structural components in extreme irradiation, thermal, chemical, and mechanical environments.
This is a modeling and engineering-judgment role that works closely with mechanical design, neutronics, and thermal hydraulics. You will assess how component dimensions, material properties, loads, interfaces, and performance evolve during service and translate those predictions into practical design guidance and defensible lifetime assessments.
We are open to candidates across a range of experience levels. Early-career engineers will work closely with Aalo’s technical lead to develop modeling methods and engineering judgment. More experienced candidates will be expected to independently own larger areas of the analysis methodology, technical judgment, and cross-functional design integration. This role reports directly to the technical lead for core and fuel material-performance modeling.
What you’ll do
Develop and apply models for fuel, graphite, and core metallic components using BISON/MOOSE and related tools
Predict how irradiation, temperature, stress, chemistry, and operating history affect component dimensions, material properties, structural behavior, and service life
Work directly with mechanical designers to evaluate materials, geometry, tolerances, clearances, interfaces, and lifetime margins
Integrate inputs from neutronics and thermal hydraulics, and assess how changes in reactor conditions or component design affect in-core degradation and performance
Translate modeling results into actionable design inputs, operating limits, test needs, and lifetime criteria
Develop or adapt material and constitutive models where existing capabilities do not adequately represent the relevant physics
Use Python for data processing, analysis automation, visualization, and communication of results
Apply rigorous software quality assurance, verification, validation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty quantification
Develop defensible, physics-based analysis methods where established codes or directly applicable design rules are insufficient
Use AI-assisted tools to accelerate analysis, model development, data review, and documentation while maintaining technical traceability and independently verifying results
Clearly communicate model assumptions, limitations, uncertainties, and conclusions across engineering teams
What we’re looking for
Degree in nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, computational engineering, or a related field
Strong grounding in material behavior, heat transfer, solid mechanics, and numerical modeling
Ability to construct models that accurately represent the important physics, not simply operate analysis software
Experience with finite-element or multiphysics analysis; BISON/MOOSE experience is strongly preferred
Proficiency with Python for engineering analysis and visualization
Understanding of model verification and validation, software quality assurance, and reproducible analysis
Ability to work effectively with mechanical designers and engineers across materials, neutronics, and thermal-hydraulics
Sound technical judgment appropriate to the candidate’s level of experience
Ability to learn quickly, work with incomplete data, and clearly identify model limitations
Experience-level expectations
Earlier-career candidates may bring strong fundamentals, computational ability, and the capacity to develop sound physical and modeling judgment under close technical mentorship.
More experienced candidates should be able to independently define modeling approaches, assess model applicability and uncertainty, guide design decisions, and own technically defensible component-lifetime conclusions.
Requirements:
Based in the United States
Willing to work on-site in Austin, TX or Idaho Falls, ID
What We Offer:
Competitive salary based on technical level
Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
Corporate Gym Membership
Additional Information:
Aalo Atomics provides a collaborative and supportive work environment, opportunities for professional growth, intellectually challenging careers, and competitive compensation. Aalo Atomics is an equal opportunity employer and considers all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Persons in compliance with 10 CFR Part 810 and may not hold non-compliant foreign citizenships.
Direct applicants only. No recruiters or staffing agencies, please.