Senior/Principal Finite Element Analyst - Thermomechanical & Structural Mechanics

Job description

About the role We are seeking a highly experienced Senior/Principal Finite Element Analyst to lead thermomechanical and structural analysis for advanced sodium-cooled reactor systems at Aalo. In this role, you will own high-consequence finite element analysis for reactor structures, components, and supporting systems operating under demanding thermal, mechanical, seismic, fluid-coupled, and radiation environments. You will work closely with mechanical design, thermal-hydraulics, nuclear, materials, manufacturing, and licensing teams to turn complex physics into defensible engineering decisions. This is a senior technical role for an analyst who can build models from first principles, challenge assumptions, interpret results with strong engineering judgment, and produce documentation suitable for nuclear-quality design and review. What you'll do Develop, execute, and maintain finite element models for reactor components, structures, and mechanical systems subject to coupled thermal and mechanical loading Perform linear and nonlinear structural analysis, thermal stress analysis, fatigue evaluation, buckling assessment, modal/dynamic analysis, and seismic response analysis Evaluate high-temperature components and structures against applicable nuclear design codes and standards, including ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III Use NASTRAN and other commercial solvers to analyze complex load cases, boundary conditions, interfaces, and transient operating conditions Support sodium-cooled reactor design by evaluating thermal gradients, pressure loads, mechanical loads, restraint loads, seismic loads, radiation effects, startup/shutdown transients, and off-normal events Collaborate with thermal-hydraulics and reactor systems teams on fluid-structure interaction problems, flow-induced vibration, thermal striping, and coupled structural response Translate analysis results into clear design recommendations, safety margins, test requirements, and engineering tradeoffs Prepare high-quality technical reports, calculation packages, and analysis documentation for internal design reviews, licensing support, and quality-controlled engineering work Establish modeling standards, verification practices, analysis templates, and review expectations for structural and thermomechanical analysis at Aalo Mentor engineers and analysts; serve as a technical authority for finite element methods, structural mechanics, and thermomechanical design evaluation Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline 10+ years of professional finite element analysis experience in nuclear, aerospace, energy, pressure systems, defense, or another high-consequence engineering environment Deep understanding of structural mechanics, thermomechanics, heat transfer, stress analysis, and finite element methods Strong experience with NASTRAN for structural, thermal, modal, dynamic, or coupled analysis Experience evaluating pressure-retaining components, reactor internals, piping, support structures, heat exchangers, high-temperature equipment, or similar safety-critical hardware Working knowledge of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III Demonstrated ability to define load cases, boundary conditions, contacts/interfaces, mesh strategies, convergence checks, and model verification approaches Strong engineering judgment and ability to determine whether analysis results are physically reasonable Proven ability to write clear technical documentation and defend assumptions, methods, results, and conclusions in rigorous design reviews Preferred Qualifications Master’s or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related discipline Direct experience with nuclear reactor systems, sodium-cooled reactors, advanced reactors, reactor internals, or nuclear-grade mechanical systems Experience with fluid-structure interaction, flow-induced vibration, thermal striping, sloshing, acoustic loading, or coupled thermal-hydraulic/structural analysis Experience evaluating structures and components exposed to neutron irradiation, radiation-induced material degradation, swelling, embrittlement, irradiation creep, or other reactor-environment effects. Experience with ASME Section III Division 1 or Division 5 design-by-analysis methods Experience with fatigue, creep, creep-fatigue, fracture mechanics, ratcheting, shakedown, plastic collapse, or high-temperature structural design Experience supporting DOE, NRC, national laboratory, or nuclear licensing projects Familiarity with NQA-1, quality-controlled analysis workflows, model V&V, and configuration-controlled calculation packages Experience with additional tools such as Abaqus, ANSYS Mechanical, LS-DYNA, COMSOL, Femap, HyperMesh, Simcenter 3D, or in-house analysis automation Experience developing analysis automation, post-processing scripts, or standardized workflows using AI, Python, MATLAB, or similar tools Requirements: Based in the United States Willing to work on-site in Austin, TX What We Offer: Competitive salary based on technical level Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance Paid Time Off Corporate Gym Membership Candidates only. No recruiters or agencies, please. 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. 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.