Manager, Plant Design

Company Overview Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables. Job Summary Kairos Power is seeking a highly motivated Manager, Plant Design, to support the integrated design of advanced reactor plants. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Plant Design Integration within the Engineering Design and Integration organization, this manager-contributor will lead assigned workstreams while directly delivering critical plant-level technical integration products. The Plant Design group comprises two closely integrated teams—Plant Architecture and Operational Design—that establish, coordinate, and mature the technical baseline. Plant Architecture is responsible for: • Top-Level Requirements • Functional architecture, interfaces, and the Plant Breakdown Structure • Plant Design requirements and Basis of Design • Plant strategies, technical trades, Principal Design Criteria • Plant performance • Modularity strategy Operational Design is responsible for: • Concept of Operations • Operational strategies and requirements • Availability and lifecycle strategies • Plant performance workflow coordination • Technical Specifications basis • Workflow coordination and interdisciplinary review The Manager will oversee both teams, directly lead Operational Design, and partner with the existing Plant Architecture Lead to support effective execution across the broader function. The successful candidate will bring experience in integrated high-temperature power or process plants; technical leadership within complex engineering organizations; and the ability to resolve ambiguity, coordinate cross-functional dependencies, close technical reviews, and deliver project-critical work in a safety-focused environment. Responsibilities • Manage and directly contribute to assigned Plant Design deliverables across Operational Design, Plant Architecture and Plant Design Integration deliverables. • Support the Lead of Plant Architecture in coordinating Plant Design team resources when additional support is required. • Partner with the Senior Manager of Plant Design Integration in maintaining the Plant Design charter, roadmap, staffing model, governance framework, decision pathways, and phase-gate technical readiness model. • Coordinate plant-level technical integration across Engineering, Licensing, Safety Analysis, Reliability, Operations, Process Design, Instrumentation, Controls & Electrical (IC&E), Commissioning, Project Management, Configuration Management, and other partner organizations. • Coordinate alignment of Top-Level Requirements, Plant Architecture, Plant Breakdown Structure, Plant Design Requirements, system requirements, plant strategies, plant trades, Principal Design Criteria strategy, Plant Modularity Strategy, operational requirements, and project phase-gate deliverables. • Lead or contribute to the development, review, baseline readiness, and change management for assigned plant deliverables, including top-level requirements, plant/multi-plant requirements, Plant Architecture, Plant Breakdown Structure, Plant Design Requirements, system requirements integration, plant strategy register, plant trade register, safety classification strategy integration, Principal Design Criteria Strategy, Plant Modularity Strategy, plant configuration decision log, and phase-gate technical readiness inputs. • Lead or contribute to the development and integration of Operational Design deliverables, including Operating Objectives, Plant/Site Concepts of Operations, Unit Concepts of Operations, mission envelopes, operating phase maps, operational requirements, Availability Roadmap and Strategy, Plant Lifecycle Strategy, Plant Performance Strategy, Plant Design Duty Cycle ( PDDC), operational sequences, Process Control Narrative (PCN)basis inputs, Tech Specs basis inputs, commissioning/startup readiness, and handover products. • Coordinate the Technical Specifications basis integration workflow to ensure that Plant Design provides a clear, traceable, and reviewed basis package to Licensing; Licensing retains responsibility for writing, regulatory positioning, approval, and issuance of the formal Technical Specifications document. • Track open assumptions, actions, review comments, decisions, and closure plans; ensure appropriate escalation when decisions exceed assigned authority or threaten phase-gate readiness. • Manage, mentor, and develop direct reports and coordinate matrixed contributors as assigned, establishing clear expectations, timelines, responsibilities, decision rights, and review/closure standards. • Promote safety, quality, psychological safety, accountability, cross-functional collaboration, intellectual honesty, and scalable ways of working. • Other duties as assigned. Qualifications • S. degree in Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline; M.S. degree or higher in a relevant engineering or technical discipline is preferred. • 10 years or greater of relevant experience in complex engineered systems, nuclear power, advanced reactors, power generation, process systems, systems engineering, plant design, technical integration, or equivalent technical environment. • Experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams and coordinating work across engineering, licensing, safety analysis, reliability, operations, process design, controls, project delivery, and commissioning functions. • Experience with requirements development, requirements traceability, design basis integration, configuration control, design reviews, phase-gate reviews, technical readiness reviews, or equivalent technical governance processes. • Experience with plant-level or system-level architecture, design requirements, trade studies, system integration, operational design, lifecycle planning, or technical project execution. • Experience managing technical ambiguity, cross-functional dependencies, design decisions, executive-level escalations, and project-critical tradeoffs. • Experience mentoring technical contributors, developing team capability, and building scalable work processes, tools, and governance mechanisms. • At least 5 years of relevant people management, technical leadership, or comparable leadership experience preferred, including experience operating as a manager-contributor responsible for both leading people and directly contributing to high-impact technical, integration, design authority, or programmatic deliverables. • Experience with integrated high-temperature power plants or process plants preferred. • Experience in nuclear, regulated, safety-critical, first-of-a-kind technology, or complex capital project environments preferred. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities • Strong knowledge of plant-level engineering integration, systems engineering, requirements management, plant architecture, design basis development, and configuration management. • Strong knowledge of operational design concepts, including Concept of Operations, operating modes, operational requirements, plant performance requirements, lifecycle strategy, maintainability, reliability, availability, commissioning, and operations readiness. • Ability to integrate technical inputs across Plant REs, System REs, Licensing, Safety Analysis, Reliability, Operations, Process Design, IC&E, Commissioning, PMO/TPM, and other stakeholders. • Ability to manage as a manager-contributor, balancing people leadership, direct technical contribution, review clos