Last Energy · 1 month ago
Senior CFD Engineer
Austin, TX or Washington, DC
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
4+ years expLast Energy is building productized nuclear plants with manufacturing-style repeatability, and they are seeking a Senior CFD Engineer focused on heat exchangers to drive thermal-fluid analysis. The role involves owning the CFD workflow end-to-end and turning simulations into clear trade studies and recommendations that inform hardware design.
Clean EnergyEnergyEnergy ManagementNuclearRenewable EnergySustainability
Responsibilities
Build and run CFD models for heat exchanger components and flow paths (headers/manifolds, distributors, tube/fin passages, shell-side features, compact HX geometries, etc.)
Drive pressure drop and heat transfer performance predictions and trade studies (ΔP vs UA/effectiveness, temperature approach, flow distribution, hot spots)
Develop a repeatable CFD workflow: geometry → mesh → solve → post-process → standardized report package
Execute parametric sweeps and sensitivity analyses to support rapid iteration and design decisions
Improve throughput by reducing model failure modes and cycle time through automation, templates, and best practices
Translate CFD outputs into actionable design changes in collaboration with mechanical design and systems engineering
Create or refine engineering correlations / reduced-order models (Nu, f, HTC) to feed sizing and system tools where appropriate
Support vendor and partner alignment by clearly defining assumptions, boundary conditions, acceptance criteria, and evidence packages
Qualification
Required
B.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field
Strong fundamentals in heat transfer and fluid mechanics; comfort reasoning from first principles and sanity-checking results
4+ years of hands-on CFD experience in thermal-fluids applications (more experience welcomed; we can level this role)
Experience with heat exchangers or closely related mass/heat transfer hardware (compact HX, manifolds, internal flows, finned passages, etc.)
Proficiency in at least one major CFD solver: ANSYS Fluent/CFX, STAR-CCM+, OpenFOAM, or COMSOL
Practical meshing and modeling judgment: boundary layers, y+, turbulence model selection, convergence criteria, grid independence
Ability to communicate results clearly to non-CFD stakeholders and defend assumptions under schedule pressure
Preferred
M.S./PhD a plus
Multi-phase or boiling/condensing modeling experience is a plus
Experience with flow distribution challenges and mitigation (distributors, baffles, headers) is a plus
Experience with flow-induced vibration considerations or coupling CFD insights to structural risk is a plus
Python-based automation of meshing/runs/post-processing; comfort on HPC environments (Slurm/PBS) is a plus
Experience producing decision-grade analysis packages in high-reliability industries is a plus
Company
Last Energy
Last Energy is a nuclear technology company that provides nuclear energy through its modular micro nuclear power plants.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$164MKey Investors
Astera InstituteGigafundFirst Round Capital
2025-12-16Series C· $100M
2024-08-29Series B· $40M
2021-02-16Series A· $20M
Leadership Team
Bret Kugelmass
CEO, Founder
Recent News
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2025-12-24
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2025-12-19
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