Mechanical Engineer

About the role

General Matter enriches uranium. We are designing, building, and operating the world's lowest-cost enrichment services, here in the US. In the process, we are restoring America's ability to produce nuclear fuel to power AI, advanced manufacturing and critical industries our country relies on to remain competitive. Fuel drives the cost of advanced reactor electricity production, and enrichment drives the cost of the fuel that advanced reactors consume. Reliable, low-cost enrichment is the catalyst for the nuclear Renaissance now under way. Our mission is to make nuclear not only the cleanest and safest source of baseload power, but also the most affordable. We believe abundant nuclear energy will lead to a post-scarcity society. We were incubated inside Founders Fund, like Anduril and Palantir before us, and are backed by over a dozen of the world's top venture capital firms. Our lean, world-class team of engineers and operators is applying a first-principles approach to solving the problem of nuclear fuel production. You will design, build, test, and own the mechanisms and mechanical structures enabling enrichment technology. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including electrical engineers, software engineers, chemical engineers, manufacturing engineers, nuclear engineers, materials scientists and physicists. We are a mission-driven company with a culture of urgency, accountability, and transparency. Help us build a high-energy society by making the cleanest, safest form of baseload energy the most affordable.

Key facts

What you'll do

Develop mechanisms and mechanical structures for enrichment and own them through the entire product lifecycle including requirements definition, design, development, qualification, and release to production.

Support optimization of designs for cost, performance, and manufacturability.

Functionally test your hardware through thermal, vibe, shock, durability, and other validation methods.

Perform root-cause analysis on test failures and develop hardware mitigations to resolve issues permanently.

Participate in design review and provide feedback to ensure design objectives are met and risks are identified early.

Work closely with electrical, software, manufacturing, and nuclear engineers to ensure designs are effectively integrated with overall system requirements and constraints.

Utilize first-principles reasoning to evaluate trade-offs and make clear recommendations even with partial information during the design process.

Operate effectively in a fast-paced engineering environment where resourcefulness and an entrepreneurial approach are required to complete tasks within tight timeframes or budget constraints.

Apply proficiency in finite element analysis (FEA) to guide critical mechanical decisions and validate structural assumptions early.

Create manufacturing drawings using GD&T within a 3D CAD package to ensure designs are manufacturable and inspectable at scale.

Requirements

Evidence of exceptional ability through prior projects, portfolio of work, or completed products must be presented for review.

Hold a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field as the minimum academic credential for this position.

Possess a minimum of 3+ years of mechanical engineering experience gained through project team, research, internship, or professional environments.

Demonstrate proficiency in a 3D CAD package such as Solidworks, CATIA, NX, or similar tools, including the ability to produce manufacturing drawings using GD&T.

Show competence in finite element analysis (FEA) to model mechanical behaviors and support decision-making.

Be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship for this position at this time.

Commit to maintaining a high level of professionalism when able to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to meet project deadlines.

Adhere to the security and compliance standards required for handling sensitive nuclear materials and data within a regulated environment.

Contribute to a culture of safety, transparency, and accountability in all aspects of design, testing, and production.

Nice to have

Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals across mechanics, materials, and thermodynamics.

Experience in a fast-paced engineering environment or a highly technical role requiring a resourceful, entrepreneurial approach.

Practical notes

This role is based in Los Angeles, California.

The engagement for this role is full-time.

Employees must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary is required.