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 a highly motivated Manager, Welding Engineering to oversee welding operations for large, fabricated vessels and structures, primarily made of austenitic stainless steel, for our Hermes iterative development program. Daily responsibilities will include managing weld engineering personnel, monitoring & driving fabrication progress, managing WPS and PQRs, monitor welder performance, and performing inspections of weldments to support manufacturing and assembly operations. You and your team will be responsible for the supporting design engineering for vessels, tanks, reactor internals and structural hardware and responsible for new weld processes and their qualification. You will lead your team in identifying, developing, and deploying methods to improve quality, reduce cost, and optimize build sequence and schedules. A Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and/or Senior Certified Welding Inspector (SCWI) certification from AWS is desired for this position.
Responsibilities
Hire, coach, manage career development, and assess the performance of team members
Collaborate within manufacturing and engineering to develop welding specifications and procedures adhering to applicable codes and standards.
Apply robust, consistent, and reliable engineering fundamentals and processes to ensure the highest quality of manufacturing engineering
Identify, develop, refine, and deploy new manufacturing methods to improve quality, reduce cost, and optimize build schedule
Advise engineering teams, welding teams and vendors on welding methods and the interpretation of weld symbols.
Lead the Design for Manufacturing (DfM) and Design for Inspectability (DfI) reviews of proposed engineering designs of weldments. Provide feedback to design engineers to improve designs towards reduced fabrication cost and improved in-service inspectability where needed.
Provide feedback from welding team to design engineers regarding recommendations for improved manufacturability. Review engineering drawings and documentation to ensure the correct materials are used and specifications met.
Ensure compliance with welding specifications of all welding activities taking place at our Albuquerque, NM facility.
Provide quality assurance supervision over welding and non-destructive testing (NDT) vendors.
Identify and troubleshoot potential issues in our welding processes.
Coordinate across the company and vendors to successfully deliver projects.
Review, validate, and manage WPS & PQRs, as well as inspection outcomes and material test reports from vendors.
Coordinate and conduct in-process inspections of weldments according to internal and industry specifications (ASME Section III, V, VIII, IX, AWS D1.1, D1.6, B31.1, B31.3)
Work with design engineers to define scope and intent of development projects to align with design teams’ expectations and protect feasibilities of fabrication team while managing to avoid scope creep and cost overruns
Oversee training of technicians and welders in the use of welding equipment including mechanized weld equipment.
Identify, procure, and commission new weld equipment including mechanized or automated hardware.
Duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in weld engineering, or related field
3+ years experience managing direct reports
Current AWS CWI and/or SCWI certification + 10 years experience in welding operations, weld inspection and fabrication of large assemblies
Welding/inspection experience of austenitic stainless steels and other high alloyed steels
Experience in petrochemical, nuclear, power generation, or aerospace manufacturing environment preferred
NDT certifications preferred but not necessary.
Radiographic film interpretation
Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards
Experience working in a dynamic research and development (R&D) environment
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work with highly collaborative team
Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently
Prioritizes and ensures safety of oneself and others
Ability to proactively collect, manage and transfer knowledge
Ability to earn trust, maintain positive and professional relationships, and foster a culture of inclusion
Ability to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges, and issues
Physical Conditions
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
Repetitive assembly operations of manufacturing test fixtures and test setups in collaboration with engineering and manufacturing teams
Environmental Conditions
General office environment
Low temperatures
High temperatures
Outdoor environment or elements such as precipitation and wind
Noisy environments
Small and/or enclosed spaces
Odors or fumes from chemicals or chemical reactions
Evaluated heights
Accessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned
High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced
Safety and PPE
Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs
Manipulating, cleaning and disposal of hazardous materials
Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions
Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes
Travel
Some travel may be required 20%
Additional Requirements
Occasionally requires overtime
Seldom requires working weekends
Occasionally requires schedule flexibility
Seldom requires non-standard work-week hours
Occasionally requires extended hours to support launch and critical project timelines
About Our Benefits
We know that we have some of the most talented and dedicated employees, and we believe in rewarding them accordingly. If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below:
Competitive compensation packages
Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents
Paid Vacation
401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)
Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. Kairos Power is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We actively welcome people of different experiences, abilities, and perspectives.
Kairos Power participates in E-Verify.
Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.
Note: You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy’s general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. The following questions are intended to determine the licensing requirements that may apply. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/10/appendix-A_to_part_810
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Engineering and Information Technology
Industries
Utilities
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