Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior CFD Engineer

at Last Energy

๐Ÿข About Last Energy

Last Energy is pioneering productized micro nuclear plants with manufacturing-style repeatability, aiming to decarbonize global energy through scalable, clean power solutions. Unlike traditional nuclear projects, they focus on standardized designs for rapid deployment, making this role unique for engineers interested in applying industrial-scale optimization to cutting-edge nuclear technology.

About This Role

As Senior CFD Engineer, you'll own the entire CFD workflow for heat exchangers, from initial sizing to detailed geometry decisions, directly influencing hardware design through trade studies on parameters like ฮ”P and flow distribution. Your work will bridge simulation and physical implementation in a fast-paced environment focused on repeatable, manufacturable nuclear plant components.

๐Ÿ’ก A Day in the Life

A typical day involves running CFD simulations on heat exchanger geometries, analyzing results for flow distribution or hot spots, and preparing trade study summaries to guide design iterations with hardware teams. You might also script automation tools to streamline workflows or validate models against experimental data, all while aligning with Last Energy's rapid development cycles for manufacturable components.

๐Ÿš€ Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

๐ŸŽฏ Who Last Energy Is Looking For

  • Has 5+ years of hands-on CFD experience specifically with heat exchangers or similar thermal-fluid systems in energy or industrial applications
  • Demonstrates end-to-end ownership of CFD workflows, including meshing, solver setup, post-processing, and translating results into actionable design recommendations
  • Possesses strong communication skills to present complex trade studies (e.g., effectiveness vs. pressure drop) to cross-functional hardware teams
  • Shows experience improving simulation speed/consistency through automation, scripting (Python/ANSYS APDL), or best practices in a product development setting

๐Ÿ“ Tips for Applying to Last Energy

1

Highlight specific heat exchanger CFD projects in your resume, quantifying impact (e.g., 'reduced ฮ”P by 15% through geometry optimization')

2

Emphasize experience with ANSYS Fluent/CFX or STAR-CCM+ for nuclear/energy applications, noting any work with conjugate heat transfer or multiphase flows

3

Showcase examples where you turned CFD results into clear trade studies that informed hardware decisionsโ€”avoid focusing solely on academic simulations

4

Demonstrate familiarity with manufacturing constraints (e.g., additive manufacturing, tolerances) since Last Energy prioritizes productized, repeatable designs

5

Tailor your application to mention Last Energy's mission of scalable micro nuclearโ€”avoid generic energy industry language

โœ‰๏ธ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your experience owning end-to-end CFD workflows for heat exchangers in industrial/product development contexts', "How you've used simulations to drive hardware design decisions (e.g., optimizing flow distribution to mitigate hot spots)", 'Specific examples of improving CFD process speed/consistency (automation, templates, validation protocols)', "Alignment with Last Energy's focus on manufacturing repeatability and decarbonization through scalable nuclear"]

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๐Ÿ” Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • โ†’ Last Energy's productized plant design (PWR-20) and their partnerships with manufacturers/utilities
  • โ†’ Micro nuclear industry challenges: regulatory pathways, supply chain scaling, and heat exchanger specifics for small modular reactors
  • โ†’ The company's emphasis on 'manufacturing-style repeatability'โ€”how this affects engineering priorities vs. one-off projects
  • โ†’ Recent news on Last Energy's projects (e.g., UK/Poland deployments) to understand their growth stage and technical hurdles

๐Ÿ’ฌ Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk through a past heat exchanger CFD project: how you balanced ฮ”P, effectiveness, and manufacturability
2 How would you validate CFD models for a micro nuclear plant's heat exchanger under off-normal conditions?
3 Describe your approach to creating a trade study that clearly communicates design recommendations to mechanical engineers
4 What strategies have you used to accelerate CFD workflows without sacrificing accuracy in a fast-paced product environment?
5 How do you stay current on CFD best practices for nuclear/energy applications, and what trends are relevant to Last Energy's goals?
Practice Interview Questions โ†’

โš ๏ธ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on academic/research CFD without demonstrating impact on physical hardware design
  • Overemphasizing aerospace/automotive CFD experience without connecting it to energy systems or heat exchangers
  • Using generic application materialsโ€”failing to mention Last Energy's micro nuclear focus or productization approach

๐Ÿ“… Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

โœ“

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Last Energy!

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