Reactor Operator

About the role

You will join Aalo Atomics’ Idaho Falls team to help stand up plant operations for two programs: (1) Aalo-X, our experimental reactor at INL, and (2) Aalo-1, the commercial reactor within the Aalo Pod. You will help develop, validate, and execute normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures; operate from the control room and in the field; and support startup, testing, and steady-state operations in a regulated, safety-critical environment.

Responsibilities

• Control room & field operations
• Monitor and control plant systems; respond to alarms; execute evolutions/manipulations per approved procedures using independent/peer checks and place-keeping.
• Perform rounds, system lineups, system status verifications, and logkeeping; ensure configuration control and turnover quality.
• Execute clearances/lockout-tagout and maintain strict procedure use/adherence.
• Startup, testing & commissioning
• Support procedure validation, preoperational testing, initial criticality, power ascension, surveillance/operability testing, and transitions between operating modes.
• Participate in readiness activities and post-test reviews; document results and discrepancies with high rigor.
• Procedures, conduct of operations & human performance
• Contribute to development and maintenance of Normal/Abnormal/Emergency Operating Procedures and alarm response procedures.
• Apply conduct-of-operations expectations, human performance tools, and conservative decision-making.
• Participate in drills (e.g., emergency response, casualty/abnormal events) and critique outcomes.
• Work management & cross-functional coordination
• Coincide with maintenance, engineering, and regulatory/QA to plan and execute work with minimal risk to nuclear, radiological, and industrial safety.
• Lead/participate in pre-job briefs, post-job reviews, and risk assessments; identify and remove roadblocks to schedule adherence.
• Training, qualification & continuous improvement
• Complete initial and continuing training (including simulator sessions) and maintain qualifications;
• Assist with training content using a systematic approach;
• Track and report progress against operations milestones; trend key performance indicators and support causal evaluations and corrective actions.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent plus technical training or an Associate’s in engineering/industrial technology; OR relevant military (e.g., Navy Nuclear) or commercial/research reactor operations experience.
• 2+ years in control room or field operations within nuclear, power generation, or heavy industrial process environments.
• Demonstrated proficiency with procedure use/adherence, alarm response, system lineups, and clearance/lockout-tagout.
• Strong situational awareness, communication, and teamwork under time-critical conditions.
• Ability to work in required PPE and perform duties in an industrial environment.

Preferred

• Prior reactor operations experience at DOE or NRC-licensed facilities;
• NRC RO/SRO license or Navy Nuclear EWS/ERS/EOOW qualification a strong plus (not required).
• Commissioning/startup testing experience;
• Familiarity with surveillance/operability testing and acceptance criteria;
• Knowledge of conduct-of-operations principles and human performance tools for high-hazard facilities;
• Familiarity with systematic approach to training and simulator-based qualification.

Qualifications

• Physical Stand/walk for extended periods (8–12-hour shifts), climb stairs/ladders, and lift/pull/push up to 40 lb with proper technique.
• Work in industrial environments (heat/cold/noise); wear required PPE, including respiratory protection when needed.