R&D Technician I
About Us
At Antares, our long-term mission is to make clean energy abundant from Earth to the Asteroid Belt. We’re fueled by the belief that advanced nuclear energy can strengthen our military, solve the climate crisis, elevate global living standards, and expand humanity's presence in outer space. To achieve our mission, we’re building mass-producible, inherently safe, deployable microreactors that can be used terrestrially, underwater, and in space.
Formed in 2023, the Antares team hails from SpaceX, The White House, MIT, Rigetti Computing, The Air Force, General Atomics, Relativity Space, Ursa Major, and National Laboratories like Los Alamos, Idaho, and Oak Ridge. Antares has raised over $130M in venture capital from top-tier investors and has over $13M in government funding.
Roles and Responsibilities:
Support engineers and senior technicians in fabricating prototypes and assembling test systems while following established procedures and safety protocols.
Perform basic machining, fabrication, assembly, and inspection tasks under supervision.
Assist with setup, operation, and teardown of test equipment and hardware.
Follow documented work instructions and help maintain accurate build and test records.
Participate in troubleshooting activities alongside engineering and senior team members.
Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment in accordance with company standards.
Support continuous improvement efforts by providing feedback on tools, processes, and build procedures.
Assist with off-site testing activities as needed.
Perform other related duties as assigned to ensure efficient team operations.
Basic Qualifications:
1+ years of hands-on experience in a manufacturing, fabrication, or technical environment (internships or school lab experience acceptable).
Familiarity with basic shop tools and mechanical assembly.
Ability to read and follow work instructions, drawings, and safety procedures.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
Exposure (academic or hands-on) to fabrication, machining, welding, or mechanical assembly.
Basic understanding of pneumatic, hydraulic, or electrical systems.
Experience working in a lab, shop, or technical training environment.
Interest in aerospace, nuclear, defense, or advanced manufacturing industries.
Strong work ethic and ability to take direction from senior team members.
Clear communication skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team.
Additional Requirements:
Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones.
The job may require frequently lifting up to 50 lbs and performing physically demanding tasks as needed.
Location
We are located in Torrance, CA in a 322,000 square foot, brand new facility featuring large open spaces for team collaboration, R&D, and production, as well as easy access to the 405, 105, and 110 freeways. Our facility is in the heart of Los Angeles' vibrant emerging tech ecosystem alongside many other high growth startups and enterprises.
Culture
At Antares, we like to specifically tie each role to our founding document’s set of values–here are the top five cultural values we think you should believe at your core to be successful:
Think in Systems - Energy and Defense are complex ecosystems with numerous stakeholders with competing priorities, conflicting policies, perverse incentives, and emergent and path-dependent properties. First principles thinking alone is insufficient. Think probabilistically and then take action. “If you want to be certain, then you are apt to be obsolete.” Over-optimizing the components often degrades the system
Obsess over the End User - The customer and end user are often not the same. We will never build globally competitive commercial products if we lose sight of our end users and their entire interaction with the product life cycle
Be Unconstrained by Convention - Our only limits are the laws of physics. Many, even experts, will say what we are working on is impossible. They said the same about SpaceX reusing rockets. Generationally impactful companies, by definition, must accomplish the seemingly impossible. If it were easy, it would have already been done. Never shy away from a solution because it has never been tried before, and never choose to do something because that's “how it's always been done”
Go Where the Work Is - Never miss a chance to meet a customer, user, or stakeholder face to face, even if that means hopping on a plane. If you can’t make it, find a teammate who can channel your intentions and go in your place. Deep work can be done from anywhere, but we believe teams are built in person, and aim to maximize our time together
Operate in the Grey - Embrace nuance in pursuit of truth. Question every fundamental assumption
Equal Opportunity
Antares is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.
ITAR Requirements
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.