NextGenEnergyJobsModern Power System Jobs

Senior Manager, Engineering Operations

Kairos Power

Albuquerque, TN

Full Time

Posted November 2, 2026

$123k - $175k· Est.

Nuclear Energy

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Application opens on company website

Listing evidence and provenance

Source: Greenhouse View original listing
Freshness: Open in the current public read path; this is not an employer guarantee.Last observed November 3, 2026
Classification: Modern power-system classification not yet published for this listing.Legacy source industry field: Nuclear Energy
Pay provenance: Estimated benchmark; not employer-provided

Job Description

Kairos Power is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Manager, Engineering Operations to lead and scale our engineering operations and test execution capabilities within a 24/7 environment.

Key Responsibilities

Provide vision and direction for 24/7 engineering operations, ensuring alignment with company objectives and milestones.
Develop and execute long-term strategic plans to expand operations capabilities, streamline execution, and enhance reliability across test platforms.
Establishes and reinforces operational standards, practices, and expectations that promote continuous improvement, safety, technical rigor, and operational excellence.
Identify, evaluate, and mitigate operational, technical, regulatory, safety, and organizational risks.
Lead a diverse team of managers, operators, and engineers; develop high-performing leaders at all levels.
Develops organizational capability through employee development, succession planning, performance management, and recognition programs.
Provide senior oversight of all test campaign planning, including readiness reviews, execution protocols, and post-test analysis.
Establish and maintain a strong nuclear safety culture, conservative decision-making practices, procedural compliance, and high standards of operational excellence.
Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of site operating programs, procedures, work controls, and management processes.
Ensure the facility is appropriately staffed, trained, qualified, and prepared to support commissioning, initial criticality, startup, and sustained operations.
Oversee operational readiness activities, including organizational readiness, procedure readiness, training and qualification, staffing, equipment readiness, and emergency preparedness.
Develop and implement a progressive program to staff and operate next generation Small Modular Reactors that is safe, effective, and compliant.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as Engineering, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), R&D, Operations, Quality, and others to establish and refine test procedures and operating envelopes.
Ensure data integrity and reliability of operational and test systems, including SCADA, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems.
Establish and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) and shift operations frameworks across all testing and operational facilities.
Implement reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) and root cause analysis (RCA) methodologies for recurring issues.
Oversee system upgrades, change control processes, and integration of new technologies or designs into operations.
Ensure all operations are performed in strict compliance with EHS and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) policies and licenses.
Lead collaboration with EHS to develop and approve Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), permitting procedures, Risk Management Plans, and emergency response planning.
Serve as an escalation point for all safety and operational incidents, ensuring robust corrective actions are implemented.
Interface with senior leaders, program managers, and technical directors to communicate operational readiness, risk posture, and strategic recommendations.
Represent engineering operations in cross-organizational working groups and governance forums.
Support regulatory and audit preparation efforts as required by industry standards or internal review bodies.
Oversee commissioning and transition to operations for new operational and experimental facilities.
Lead cost-efficiency and capital-planning efforts across infrastructure and operational assets.
Stay abreast of advancements in energy operations, plant engineering/operations, and automation relevant to testing environments.
Additional duties as required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field; advanced degree (MS, MBA, or PhD) preferred.
Minimum 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in energy, nuclear, chemical, industrial, or other high-hazard or regulated operations, with at least 5 years of leadership experience managing technical or operational teams.
Extensive experience and deep familiarity with P&IDs, process control systems (e.g., SCADA), instrumentation, or comparable industrial control systems.
Ability to obtain and maintain Plant Manager/SRO certification and applicable emergency-response qualifications
Demonstrated experience leading or overseeing complex engineering or industrial operations, including commissioning, startup, continuous operations, or similar operational activities; experience leading or overseeing 24/7 operations is highly desirable.
Experience in nuclear operations, advanced reactor operations, nuclear commissioning, or startup of regulated nuclear facilities is desirable.
Experience with radiological monitoring, radiological controls, and hazardous-material management is desriable.
Experience supporting NRC licensing activities, regulatory inspections, audits, or other regulatory interfaces is desirable.
Experience developing or overseeing operator training and qualification programs is desirable.
Occasionally requires working weekends
Frequently requires schedule flexibility
Occasionally requires non-standard work-week hours
Occasionally requires extended hours to support launch and critical project timelines
#LI-Onsite

Benefits & Perks

We know that we have some of the most talented and dedicated employees, and we believe in rewarding them accordingly. If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below:
Competitive compensation packages
Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents
Paid Vacation
401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)
Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.
Note: You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy’s general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. The following questions are intended to determine the licensing requirements that may apply. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/10/appendix-A_to_part_810