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Principal Robotics Engineer

Seattle, WA

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing startup in the nuclear and energy space creating a never before seen fleet-scale approach to building nuclear reactors. Through its design-once, build-many approach and coalition building across communities, regulators, and financial stakeholders, The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally.

About the Role

As a Principal Robotics Engineer at The Nuclear Company, you will lead the development and deployment of robotic systems for nuclear construction, inspection, and maintenance operations. This role combines expertise in robotics, automation, and control systems to enable remote operations in high-dose radiation areas, automated construction tasks, and intelligent inspection systems for Nuclear OS. You'll work at the intersection of advanced robotics technology and nuclear infrastructure, helping to transform how nuclear facilities are built, inspected, and maintained through autonomous and remotely controlled systems that improve safety, reduce costs, and accelerate construction timelines.

Key Responsibilities

Robotic System Development

  • Design robotic systems for remote operation, maintenance, and inspection in nuclear environments
  • Develop mobile robots for maintenance, inspection, and construction support
  • Implement construction robotics for welding, material handling, and automated assembly
  • Design systems for high-dose area operations to reduce worker radiation exposure

Remote Inspection & Maintenance

  • Develop remote inspection capabilities for piping, tanks, containment buildings, and critical infrastructure
  • Design remotely operated tooling for reactor vessel maintenance and equipment inspection
  • Support submersible robotics for underwater operations

Automation & Control

  • Develop robotic network infrastructure including wireless control systems and failsafe configurations
  • Implement autonomous navigation systems with computer vision and automated monitoring
  • Design failsafe systems for safe operation during communication loss

AI & Digital Integration

  • Integrate robotics with Nuclear OS for AI-powered construction management and real-time tracking
  • Develop automated inspection systems using AI and computer vision for quality control

Safety & Compliance

  • Ensure safe robotic operations near nuclear equipment with proper control protocols
  • Evaluate wireless transmissions to avoid interference with safety systems
  • Design for radiation field operations

Experience

  • 10+ years robotics engineering experience in industrial, construction, or inspection applications
  • Bachelor's or Master's in Robotics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
  • Expertise in robotic control systems: autonomous navigation, path planning, sensor fusion
  • Proficiency in ROS/ROS2, Python, C++
  • Experience with computer vision and machine learning for robotic perception
  • Knowledge of wireless communication protocols and network security
  • Experience with industrial automation and CAD software for robotic system design

Preferred Experience

  • Nuclear industry or critical infrastructure experience
  • Radiation-hardened systems and high-dose area operations knowledge
  • Submersible/underwater robotics experience
  • Construction automation and modular construction background
  • AI/ML for autonomous systems
  • Digital twin platforms and BIM integration
  • AR/VR for robotic teleoperation
  • NRC regulations and nuclear quality standards knowledge
  • Palantir Foundry experience

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation packages
  • 401k with company match
  • Medical, dental, vision plans
  • Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

Estimated Starting Salary Range
The estimated starting salary range for this role is $198,000-$228,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role. 

EEO Statement
The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.

Export Control
Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants.

Recruiting Fraud Alert

Your safety is our priority. We want to ensure your job search stays secure. Please note that the team at The Nuclear Company only communicates through official @thenuclearcompany.com email addresses. We will never ask for payments or sensitive financial information at any stage of our recruitment process. For your peace of mind, please verify all openings and submit your applications directly through our official careers page: Careers

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