Mechanical Engineer

Please review the job description here to ensure that you are qualified for this position.

Note: this is an in person role, in Seattle/Tacoma region, involving hands-on tasks including building hardware and running physical tests.

You may review our white paper here to find out more about our project.

Please complete the technical evaluation below. We expect this evaluation to take 30-60m and we ask that you limit your answers to 500 words per question.

Question 1: Save the Earth

Question 2: Build Cool Shit

Question 3: Thermal Management

You are designing a thermal management plan for insulating a furnace that can reach temperatures of up to 1000C. Supporting infrastructure, mechanical, electrical, and power components, are required for automating processes within the furnace. These components need to be thermally insulated from the furnace such that they all remain within their specified temperature ratings.

Provide a thermal management plan for insulating the furnace and protecting sensitive components from high temperatures. Assume the reactor core is roughly 3ft long and 2ft in diameter.

1. Explain the primary heat transfer mechanisms you would need to consider in your design

2. Describe insulation techniques you might employ

3. What methods would you propose for actively managing heat in this system?

4. Describe your proposed thermal management strategy (order of insulation and cooling layers) and explain your choices.

Optional: provide a diagram

Question 4: Molten Salt Depth Measurement Challenge

You are designing a system to accurately, remotely, and continuously measure the fluid level changes of a 1000C molten salt deep within a reactor core.

Identify one possible method of measuring the fluid depth as described.

1. Describe the underlying physical principle of measurement 

2. Describe sensor selection and configuration

3. Identify your strategy for sensor protection and longevity given the high-temperature environment

Optional: provide a diagram