Mechanical Team Lead
At Thorizon, we’re a passionate team of ~ 50 spread across Amsterdam and Lyon, all working together to develop new nuclear power solutions. We design and create frontier technology for Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs).
Our purpose is to accelerate the availability of clean energy and help solve the climate crisis.
We are in the development phase and progressively solidifying our design through analyses, simulations, experiments, prototyping, and partnerships.
Our work requires strong interdisciplinary coupling. This is why we value openness: sharing assumptions, surfacing uncertainties early, and addressing issues directly. In a high-stakes environment, transparency is not a preference but a condition for safety, quality, and trust.
We believe safety is both technical and human. Robust designs, validated assumptions, and compliance with codes and standards go hand in hand with an environment where people feel safe to speak up, challenge assumptions, and report issues without fear. Technical performance and human maturity are inseparable, and trust and clarity are essential to succeed.
Are you motivated to provide your expertise and know-how to the ongoing design studies for the Thorizon One reactor? Are you passionate about designing cutting-edge mechanical systems and solving complex engineering challenges? Do you get energized by innovation, and transforming ideas into tangible solutions? Are you a teambuilder that can get the most out of technical experts and specialists, in an innovative and multidisciplinary development environment?
You will be the lead and take full responsibility for all activities related to mechanical studies in Thorizon’s reactor design, safety case and validation.
You lead the mechanical expertise domain as a coherent and reliable center of excellence, serving the project while continuously adapting to its evolving needs.
The primary missions are, on the one hand, to provide comprehensive support and expertise in this area to the system design teams in charge of the reactor design studies and, on the other hand, to define, execute, and adapt where needed the validation program combining experiments, tests, prototyping, either carried out on our own or through shared initiatives, designed to ultimately prove that the innovations in our solution are feasible within the performance, cost, and time constraints of our project.
You structure the organization to ensure technical quality, methodological rigor, and effective collaboration, while fostering professional growth and personal responsibility within the team. Within this general framework, you will manage a growing team of junior, intermediate, senior and external mechanical specialists, define an organization designed to ensure the quality and validity of the studies and work performed by your team, and develop this mechanical expertise center in line with the needs of the Thorizon project and its future developments.
In your role, you maintain an overview of all design projects carried out within Thorizon (non-nuclear Pilot design, Pioneer nuclear demonstrator design, FOAK/NOAK design), the entire mechanical validation plan, and interfaces with the system design teams and with other areas of expertise (such as materials, chemistry, neutronics and thermohydraulics, as well as nuclear safety). You act as both reference expert and facilitator, helping the project move forward by clarifying priorities, resolving tensions, and enabling sound decision-making.
You create an environment where questions, doubts, and alternative viewpoints can be expressed early and constructively, allowing risks to be identified and addressed before they become issues. Your level of expertise allows you to prioritize based on the importance of the needs, and as an expert, you have the power to recommend any necessary actions for the project related to your area of expertise.
Furthermore, with your team members, you participate in external networks, including international initiatives, to stay at the forefront of industry developments.
In this environment, you get the unique opportunity to put your knowledge to the best use, develop your ideas, explore various aspects of mechanical engineering, how to build and manage an effective expert team, and play a crucial role in the company’s growth.
This role is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands or in Lyon, France.
Read more about the role and what to expect from Thorizon on our website: https://thorizon.com/vacancies/110/mechanical-team-lead
At Thorizon, technical excellence is inseparable from how we work together. We expect high standards, clear responsibilities, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to safety. This role is for a leader who finds energy in building both robust systems and strong teams.
Does this sound like a match? We are looking forward to your application! : hr@thorizon.com
Thorizon takes responsibility to make our company more inclusive. We need all ideas to realize our mission and want everyone to feel welcome in our team.