PITA Build Engineer
Kairos Power · Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States · onsite
Company Overview
Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.
Job Summary
Kairos Power is seeking Build Engineers to develop, execute, and continuously improve the work packages used to integrate and build reactor systems. Build Engineers bridge planning, scheduling, and field execution: they establish Clear to Build (CTB) before technicians begin, spend substantial time alongside the team during execution, and then incorporate observed lessons into the next revision. This is an operational engineering role that Kairos requires independent of AI adoption; in an AI-native organization, the engineer is additionally expected to use modern AI tools proficiently to retrieve knowledge, improve work instructions, capture lessons, and build lightweight solutions.
Responsibilities
- Develop safe, clear, correct, concise, and complete work instructions/travelers for reactor construction, integration, test, activation, rework, and related activities.
- Translate drawings, bills of material, specifications, engineering requirements, safety controls, quality inspection requirements, tolerances, acceptance criteria, tooling, and prerequisites into executable work packages.
- Establish Clear to Build (CTB) readiness by identifying missing people, parts, plans, process, tooling, approvals, engineering inputs, or other prerequisites before work begins.
- Work alongside technicians during field execution to observe work firsthand, answer questions, capture deviations and lessons, and understand actual labor and serial duration.
- Perform hands-on activities such as tube bending, swaging, panel buildouts, electrical terminations, and more.
- Use approved AI-assisted retrieval and review to identify missing requirements, outdated references, configuration conflicts, applicable lessons, and unclear steps.
- Capture field observations using structured text, voice, photographs, and other approved multimodal methods.
- Develop lightweight AI-enabled tools or workflows within approved enterprise platforms and processes when they improve local execution.
- Maintain work-package and configuration traceability and adhere to designated engineering authority, quality hold points, and controlled systems of record.
- Identify, troubleshoot, and propose solutions for build and construction non-conformances and solve complex assembly problems that may arise during fabrication and assembly of modular skids.
- Conduct regular field walk-downs during builds to assess work-package execution, verify as-built conditions, and document discrepancies.
- Track task deadlines and production schedules based on project milestones.
- Support project reviews, ensuring manufacturing requirements and design decisions are clearly communicated, documented, and aligned with production goals.
- Communicate production status and risks effectively to stakeholders, including project leads, engineering, operations, and quality teams, ensuring alignment and transparency.
- Support continuous improvement by identifying inefficiencies and implementing process enhancements.
- Prepare and support execution of assigned work packages in accordance with applicable safety, quality, and regulatory standards throughout the production lifecycle.
- Support change management processes by evaluating engineering changes and assessing their impact on production timelines and resources.
- Contribute to risk assessments and mitigation planning for manufacturing integration activities, particularly during the introduction of new processes.
- Coordinate/partner with additional resourcing from PITA, and travel to KP-TN facilities to support assembly/install activities of components and skids as necessary.
- Perform other duties as assigned, supporting the team and company in a dynamic, multi-disciplinary environment.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Nuclear, Chemical, Industrial, Manufacturing, Aerospace, Electrical, Civil, or other relevant engineering discipline.
- 6+ years of relevant experience in engineering, construction, manufacturing, assembly, integration, commissioning, testing, maintenance, field engineering, or hands-on technical projects, including experience translating technical requirements into executable work packages and supporting hands-on field activities.
- Demonstrated experience in translating technical definition into executable work and practical hands-on skills are more important than a specific industry pedigree.
- Demonstrated experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, procedures, and technical requirements.
- Experience with CAD software
- Technical writing and structured problem-solving skills.
- Experience working directly with technicians and trades in a field environment.
- AI proficiency or demonstrated ability and motivation to become proficient rapidly is strongly desired.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Independent, resourceful, and proactive when information is incomplete.
- Ability to distinguish assumptions from facts and surface RFIs before they become field blockers.
- Strong interpersonal skills and respect for technician expertise.
- Ability to give and receive direct criticism and rapidly revise one's own work.
- Knowledge of applicable safety, quality, and procedural controls for work-package preparation and field execution.
- Ability to collect, manage, and transfer knowledge.
- Ability to identify unnecessary process complexity and recommend practical improvements to work instructions and field workflows.
- Comfort alternating between detailed desk work and hands-on field presence.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications and translate them into actionable manufacturing requirements.
- Strong problem-solving and organizational skills, able to manage multiple priorities in dynamic environments while maintaining attention to detail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document plans, track changes, and effectively convey information across engineering, operations, and leadership teams.
- Familiarity with ERP/MES systems, production planning tools, and procedure writing software (e.g., JobBOSS, Epsilon3, Infor, ESOMS), with the ability to analyze and use production data to optimize performance.
- Ability to review engineering models and drawings using applicable CAD software.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
- Skilled in risk assessment and mitigation related to manufacturing and system integration activities.
- Understanding of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.
Physical Demands
- Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts and the like
- Setting up and transferring temporary structures (e.g. scaffolding, ladders)
- Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces
- Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods
- Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another
- Adjusting, moving, transporting, installing, positioning, or removing objects up to 50 pounds in all directions
- Communicating with others to exchange information
- Operating motor vehicles, heavy equipment or machinery
- Use hand tools
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