Material Handling Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Radioactive Waste Handling Engineer to join our Fuel Recycling Team.

Position Description

The Radioactive Waste Handling Engineer is responsible for designing and implementing compliant, safe, and effective shipping and storage solutions for nuclear materials ranging from byproduct to Class A through high-level waste (HLW) items. This role will play a critical part in ensuring regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and technical rigor in nuclear waste management.

In this position, you will

• Collaborate with internal teams, regulators, and external partners to design, implement, and oversee waste storage programs for the Oklo Fuel Recycling Team.

• Design, analyze, and implement waste storage systems and packaging that comply with NRC regulations and industry standards.

• Manage contracts with licensed disposal facilities, transporters, and shippers to ensure safe and compliant waste disposition.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Performing engineering analyses of waste package performance (e.g., chemical, thermal, radiological, etc.) to support the development of the safety case for the Oklo Fuel Recycling Facility.

• Collaborating cross-functionally with operations, engineering, and licensing teams to integrate waste storage requirements into facility and program designs.

• Facilitating design of storage facilities and processes to ensure regulatory compliance with 10 CFR Part 72.

• Aiding the development of compliant waste storage programs for a wide range of waste classifications (i.e., Class A, B, C, GTCC, and HLW).

• Coordinating with licensed shippers and disposal facilities to execute safe and efficient waste transport and storage.

• Developing documentation and procedures to support licensing, inspections, audits, and regulatory reviews.

• Supporting long-term waste strategy development, including disposal pathways, interim storage solutions, and innovations in packaging and handling.

Experience Level:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering, environmental engineering, or related field

• Experience conducting engineering analyses related to nuclear systems or waste management

Bonus Qualifications:

• Knowledge of and experience in applying 10 CFR Part 71 requirements

• Familiarity with requirements related to the determination of waste incidental to reprocessing

• Background in environmental compliance and permitting

• Experience interfacing with the NRC, EPA, and other regulatory authorities

Competencies

We are looking for a Radioactive Waste Handling Engineer who is

• Experienced in radioactive waste lifecycle management, especially compliant containerization, handling, and storage

• Knowledgeable of 10 CFR Parts 61 and 72 requirements for the safe storage of radioactive waste

• Experienced with hands-on nuclear facility operations, packaging design, or radioactive material handling

• Experienced with commercial nuclear waste programs

• Experienced with waste characterization

• Operations and production-focused, with a strong sense of practicality

• Passionate about clean energy 

• Passionate about safe and effective management of radioactive waste

• An optimist at heart

• Willing and able to learn quickly

• 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 a 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 won't 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 isn't 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 aren't about taking credit for ourselves, and we aren't 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: $100,000-$190,000

Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, competitive pay, 401k, health insurance, FSA, flexible work hours, and other benefits.

We are looking to fill this position immediately!

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: Oklo's 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.