[Hiring] Staff Mechanical Design Engineer @Quantum Leap Energy

Role Description

We’re looking for a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer experienced in working in an NQA-1 environment to join our Engineering team, reporting to the Head of Engineering. In this role you’ll own the mechanism design at the heart of QLE’s proprietary isotope separation technology – the moving assemblies, actuation, and precision hardware the process depends on – and you’ll make those designs safe through the choices built into them rather than through the controls wrapped around them.

This is a high-impact opportunity to shape first-of-a-kind hardware at the stage where inherent safety is still a design variable rather than a retrofit. You’ll act as a key design authority at the center of concurrent simulation and experimental workstreams, holding a single design basis that every team can analyze, test, and build against. The role is remote, with limited travel a few times per year.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years of progressive experience in mechanical design.
• Demonstrated portfolio of mechanisms and precision assemblies taken from concept to working hardware in regulated or high-consequence industries (Nuclear, Aerospace, Defense, Semiconductor, Medical Devices).
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.

Requirements

• Kinematic design, load path definition, and mechanism synthesis for repeatable, life-limited motion.
• Tolerance stack-up analysis and fluency in ASME Y14.5 (GD&T) for precision assemblies.
• Selection and integration of bearings, drives, actuators, and dynamic seals.
• Demonstrable experience designing hazards out at source – applying the hierarchy of controls, passive and fail-safe design, and participating in HAZOP, FMEA, or equivalent safety assessments.
• Expert in 3D CAD (e.g. SolidWorks/Inventor/CREO) and disciplined in PDM/PLM data management.
• Proven track record working alongside simulation and experimental teams.
• Able to read, mark up, and contribute to PFDs and P&IDs.
• Comfortable in a shop, lab, or test facility during site visits.
• Ability to thrive in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Capable of managing complex technical workstreams with minimal oversight in a remote setting.

Preferred Qualifications – What Sets You Apart

• Nuclear Framework Experience (strongly preferred): Design experience within a nuclear regulatory and quality framework.
• Familiarity with criticality safety by geometry and the design constraints it imposes.
• Experience designing for gloveboxes, hot cells, shielded environments, or remote maintenance and decontamination.
• Master’s Degree or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or Physics.
• Professional Engineer (PE) License.
• Hands-on experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or CFD packages.
• Experience with High Vacuum (HV/UHV), cryogenics, or aggressive/corrosive chemical environments.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or process improvement (e.g., Lean Six Sigma) certifications are a plus.

Location & Working Arrangement

• This role is remote.
• You’ll be provided with a working setup that supports CAD-heavy design work.
• Limited travel is expected a few times per year – typically for design reviews, vendor and fabrication visits, and commissioning.
• Reports directly to the Head of Engineering.

Apply Now

If you’re ready to help build the world’s next clean energy frontier, we’d love to hear from you.