Controls Engineer, Fuel Fabrication

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Controls Engineer to join our engineering team.

Position Description

As a Controls Engineer on Oklos Fuel Fabrication team, youll be responsible for developing instrumentation and controls (I&C) systems and the end-to-end data lifecycle for fuel manufacturing facilities that are currently being designed and constructed. This role will be pivotal in commissioning our fuel fabrication facilities, ensuring that all process equipment and facility systems are digitally integrated to provide traceability and meet facility quality requirements. Your responsibilities will include developing fuel fabrication I&C systems, connecting manufacturing equipment to the facilities' Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, designing and maintaining SQL databases to store process and product quality data, developing inventory tracking and control tools, and supporting various other facility digital systems (e.g., preventative maintenance and work order tracking, EH&S reporting, etc.).

This is a highly cross-functional role where technical excellence and a collaborative mindset are equally valued.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Control Systems: Program, troubleshoot, and optimize Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs).
• Instrumentation: Select, calibrate, and maintain field devices (temperature, pressure, flow, and level transmitters).
• SCADA & PLC Integration: Collaborate with equipment vendors and Oklo process engineers to integrate machine-level data (Allen-Bradley, Siemens, etc.) into the facility-wide SCADA system.
• Database Architecture: Design, implement, and manage SQL databases to store high-fidelity process data and product quality metrics.
• Digital System Development: Design, implement, and manage manufacturing facility tools, such as preventative maintenance and work order tracking, inventory tracking and control, etc.
• Automated Quality Assurance: Develop automated "Pass/Fail" logic within the SCADA/MES layer to ensure product genealogy and traceability meet nuclear regulatory standards. Develop digital product reports that can be generated from the manufacturing facility SQL database.
• Commissioning Support: Perform Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) for software and control interfaces, ensuring data packets are accurately captured during equipment cycling.
• Protocol Development: Draft and execute validation protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ) for the digital systems, ensuring they are "inspection-ready" for quality audits.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelors or higher degree in Electrical Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 3+ years of industry experience in instrumentation and controls engineering including PLC, SCADA, SQL database, and software verification and validation (V&V) experience preferably in a highly regulated manufacturing environment
• Ability to write scripts in Python, VBA, or similar for data manipulation
• Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, P&IDs, process flow diagrams, and other manufacturing facility documentation
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate on cross-functional teams, integrating feedback from other engineering disciplines and vendors
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly document and present engineering work
• Comfortable working with external manufacturers and engineering consultants

Bonus Qualifications:

• Experience integrating custom manufacturing equipment into facility SCADA systems
• Experience building custom manufacturing facility SQL databases for process data, product quality data, and/or auxiliary facility functions, such as preventative maintenance and work order tracking, EH&S reporting, facility inventory and procurement, etc.
• Experience in the nuclear industry, including working under NQA-1 or similar quality standards

Competencies

We are looking for a Controls Engineer that is:

• Proficient in programming, troubleshooting, and optimizing Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs).
• Capable of selecting, calibrating, and maintaining manufacturing instrumentation, such as temperature, pressure, and flow transmitters.
• Proficient in SQL (PostgreSQL, MS SQL, or similar) and experience with SCADA platforms (e.g., Ignition, Wonderware, or Aveva)
• Familiar with highly regulated manufacturing environments and quality standards (e.g., NQA-1 or similar ISO quality standards)
• An experienced team player who can work effectively across both internal resources and external suppliers
• Passionate about clean energy
• Passionate about making advanced fission a reality
• Willing and able to learn quickly
• An optimist at heart
• Eager to work on a dynamic team, receive constructive feedback, and grow with us
• Willing to think differently and do things in new ways
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, highly iterative startup environment
• Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflectively about the problems they are solving, while not leaning only on what has been done before
• Willing to propose novel and creative solutions to technical problems
• An excellent writer who can write in modern active voice, so make your cover letter compelling and write it well!
• Able to communicate technical content and results verbally

Who you are:

A startup person: You aren't driven by titles or hierarchy, and prefer efficiency to excess process. You don't need or expect to have a lot of guidance but you enjoy working in a fast-paced team. If you prefer the culture and feel of a large organization, that is great, but you likely wont enjoy working with us! There is plenty of important work and plenty of good opportunities with organizations like that.

Motivated: You are self-motivated. You bring an enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking out. This isnt about a fake or arbitrary pieces of flair mentality or lack of work-life balance! It is about being a part of the vision and feeling a part of reaching team goals.

A team-player: Oklo genuinely is a team. We arent about taking credit for ourselves, and we arent about pushing blame to others. We do incredible things because we work as a team.

An excellent communicator: We need a person who is not only technically competent but also a clear and upbeat communicator.

Creative: Being creative means that when things fall outside clear scopes or processes or problems arise without clear solutions, you are able to identify it as well as invent ways to solve a problem or fill a need without micromanagement. The successful person in this job will not only be creative, but also enjoy being creative and solving open-ended problems which may change day-by-day.

Detail-oriented: This focus is a big part of excellence, consistency, and quality. Excellent grammar and spelling matter for both good communication as well as the image of the company that we put forward.

About Oklo travel requirements:

Oklo requires remote employees to travel to headquarters (Santa Clara, CA) twice a quarter annually, based on business or team needs, including attendance at team meetings, off-sites, and other company events or gatherings. For the first two weeks of onboarding, employees are required to be in person at headquarters in Santa Clara, CA.

About Oklo compensation:

Salary: $100,000-$150,000

Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, bonuses, competitive pay, 401(k), health insurance (with employer contribution), HSA, FSA, flexible work hours, wellness credits, and other benefits.

This position may involve access to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Only applicants who meet the definition of a U.S. person under applicable laws may be eligible.

About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale; establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes; and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.

#CHOP: Oklos Values
Collaboration: We go further, together. We bring diverse perspectives, listen actively, and build trust through transparency and respect. We work across disciplines, sharing ownership to turn complex challenges into shared successes.
Humility: We are team players who act for the good of the company and for the world. We are focused on our mission, not personal recognition.
Ownership: We take pride in what we do and how we do it. We are proactive in finding solutions and see tasks through to completion. We are committed to delivering on our promises to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
Pathfinding: We chart new ground where no path exists by approaching challenges with curiosity, courage, and creativity while navigating ambiguity.