Principal Engineer (R&D) in Aberdeen

Location: Aberdeen (Bridge of Don)

Organisation: Orkora Limited

Type: Full time

Reports to: Founder / CEO

Clearance: Right to work in UK; ability to obtain UK national security clearances

Orkora is developing a new class of offshore nuclear power station. Designed to operate offshore and connect to transmission grids via subsea cables.

This is a high-integrity, results oriented environment. The work is challenging, fast and deeply rewarding.

Our Aberdeen site is focused on building the first physical subsystems: electrically-heated test rigs that demonstrate circulation, heat transfer, and dynamic metocean behaviour.

We’re hiring a Principal Engineer (R&D) to lead the design, build, and testing of early-stage prototype rigs sub 20 kW thermal, sub-5 tonne systems used to validate fluid, structural, and thermal models.

The role is fast-paced and hands-on: design → build → test → iterate.

You’ll have technical autonomy of scope and report directly to company leadership.

• Own concept, design, and build of electrically heated thermal test rigs (coolant loops, mock reactor vessels, sCO₂ power trains).
• Produce 3D CAD models, manufacturing drawings, and P&IDs.
• Perform structural and thermal FEA to validate components and assemblies.
• Lead workshop activities with local technicians and fabricators.
• Define and execute test procedures, capture data, and analyse performance.
• Maintain design documentation, QA records, and technical reports.
• Interface with system leads (thermal-hydraulics, electrical, controls) to integrate learnings into core reactor design.
• Support continuous improvement of design and build methods within the R&D workshop.

Essential

• Degree-qualified Mechanical Engineer (BEng/MEng or equivalent).
• ~10+ years’ experience designing and testing heavy prototype or process systems (e.g. thermal, hydraulic, pressure, or rotating-equipment rigs).
• Strong CAD and FEA proficiency (SolidWorks/Inventor + ANSYS/Abaqus or similar).
• Practical understanding of fabrication, machining, pressure vessels, instrumentation, and commissioning.
• Competence in producing manufacturing drawings and P&IDs.
• Capable of writing clear test procedures and technical reports.
• Comfortable alternating between design office and workshop.

Preferred

• Experience with high-temperature fluids, sCO₂ systems, or heat-transfer rigs.
• Familiarity with pressure system design codes and test instrumentation.
• Prior involvement in early-stage or high-intensity R&D environments.
• Exposure to design for safety and regulatory documentation.

• Career-defining opportunity to build and test the first physical prototypes of a new nuclear platform.
• Autonomy, pace, and meaningful technical ownership.
• Competitive salary + equity options (EMI) for early staff.
• Work alongside a compact, multidisciplinary team tackling frontier-scale engineering problems.

• Produce 3D models, drawings, and documentation for the first test rigs.
• Establish workshop workflow and supplier interfaces for rapid design-build-test cycles.
• Generate validated data supporting Orkora’s design, simulation and engineering models.

Apply directly via LinkedIn with your CV and (optionally) a brief note describing a physical prototype or test rig you designed and built.