Reactor Operator
Antares · Idaho Falls
USD 31 to 71 per hour
About Us
At Antares, our long-term mission is to make clean energy abundant from Earth to the Asteroid Belt. We’re fueled by the belief that advanced nuclear energy can strengthen our military, solve the climate crisis, elevate global living standards, and expand humanity's presence in outer space. To achieve our mission, we’re building mass-producible, inherently safe, deployable microreactors that can be used terrestrially, underwater, and in space.
The Antares team hails from SpaceX, the White House, the Pentagon, the Department of Energy, MIT, Rigetti Computing, General Atomics, Relativity Space, Ursa Major, and National Laboratories like Idaho, Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, and Savannah River. Antares has raised over $600M in venture capital from top-tier investors and has hundreds of million-dollars on contract with the military services, NASA, and the Department of Energy.
About The Role
We are seeking a Reactor Operator to support the safe and effective operation of Antares’ nuclear reactor systems through testing, startup, deployment, and ongoing operations. This role sits within our Nuclear Operations organization and will be responsible for executing operational activities, supporting reactor experiments, and ensuring work is performed in accordance with established procedures, safety requirements, and operational standards.
This role will work closely with operations leadership, engineering teams, and other technical personnel to support reactor operations, operator training, and operational readiness. You will contribute to the development and improvement of procedures, training programs, and operational processes while gaining hands-on experience with reactor systems and working toward Reactor Operator qualifications. As Antares continues to develop and deploy its reactors, you will play an important role in establishing safe, reliable, and repeatable operations.
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Support the safe and efficient operation of reactor experiments and plant facilities by following approved procedures, work instructions, and direction from operations leadership.
- Support nuclear training programs for operators and maintenance personnel, including preparing materials, coordinating sessions, tracking completion, and providing instruction within assigned qualifications.
- Help identify procedural, personnel, and program needs for reactor operations; elevate gaps and recommendations to the appropriate lead.
- Uphold established standards for performance, safety, and operational excellence, and promptly report issues or deviations.
- Support nuclear activities for Antares test and deployed reactors in accordance with approved plans and procedures.
- Participate in technical discussions, reviews, and working groups with internal teams and external stakeholders; contribute information and follow through on assigned actions.
- Provide observations and recommendations to engineering and program teams to improve the scalability and repeatability of reactor deployments.
- Obtain Reactor Operator qualifications to support reactor operations as assigned.
- Maintain accurate operational records and support readiness reviews, procedure updates, and lessons-learned activities.
- Recognize when conditions fall outside approved procedures or assigned authority and promptly notify operations supervision.
Basic Qualifications:
- 1+ years of experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated technical environment or completed stem degree.
- Experience working across multiple disciplines to support complex systems or projects.
- Ability to follow structured procedures and translate technical, regulatory, and operational requirements into assigned tasks.
- Ability to work effectively in ambiguous, fast-paced environments while recognizing when to seek direction.
- Clear technical communication skills, including the ability to share information with internal teams and external stakeholders.
- This role requires passing a medical evaluation under DOE O 426.2B and 10 CFR Part 55, as applicable. The evaluation happens after a conditional offer, with periodic re-evaluations to maintain qualification. Reasonable accommodations are available in line with federal and Idaho law
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- BS, MS, or PhD in engineering, such as nuclear, mechanical, chemical, aerospace, or a related field.
- Experience supporting reactor operations, startup, commissioning, or deployment.
- Familiarity with nuclear safety and compliance programs.
- Experience supporting customers, regulators, or external partners in technical settings.
- Prior experience in the U.S. Navy nuclear program, national laboratories, or the commercial nuclear industry.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones
Compensation:
Level 1: $31-$51/hour
Level 2: $37-$60/hour
Level 3: $42-$71/hour
Your actual level and compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.
Culture
At Antares, we like to specifically tie each role to our founding document’s set of values–here are the top five cultural values we think you should believe at your core to be successful:
- Think in Systems - Energy and Defense are complex ecosystems with numerous stakeholders with competing priorities, conflicting policies, perverse incentives, and emergent and path-dependent properties. First principles thinking alone is insufficient. Think probabilistically and then take action. “If you want to be certain, then you are apt to be obsolete.” Over-optimizing the components often degrades the system
- Obsess over the End User - The customer and end user are often not the same. We will never build globally competitive commercial products if we lose sight of our end users and their entire interaction with the product life cycle
- Be Unconstrained by Convention - Our only limits are the laws of physics. Many, even experts, will say what we are working on is impossible. They said the same about SpaceX reusing rockets. Generationally impactful companies, by definition, must accomplish the seemingly impossible. If it were easy, it would have already been done. Never shy away from a solution because it has never been tried before, and never choose to do something because that's “how it's always been done”
- Go Where the Work Is - Never miss a chance to meet a customer, user, or stakeholder face to face, even if that means hopping on a plane. If you can’t make it, find a teammate who can channel your intentions and go in your place. Deep work can be done from anywhere, but we believe teams are built in person, and aim to maximize our time together
- Operate in the Grey - Embrace nuance in pursuit of truth. Question every fundamental assumption
Equal Opportunity
Antares is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987.