Project Manager - Risk Manager

Deep Fission is a nuclear technology company pioneering the development of a revolutionary deep borehole pressurized water reactor. We recently completed a private placement financing and Alternative Public Offering and are now operating as a public company while maintaining our startup agility and innovation focus. With strategic partnerships in place, strong private and public investment, and active engagement with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), we are executing our next phase of growth as we advance our groundbreaking nuclear technology toward commercial deployment. 

Deep Fission is seeking a Project Manager to support the planning, execution, and control of complex nuclear energy programs. This role sits at the intersection of traditional project management and risk management, and is designed for a practitioner who can own delivery milestones while actively contributing to risk identification, analysis, and mitigation efforts across the program.

The ideal candidate brings structured project management fundamentals combined with meaningful hands-on experience in risk management including risk register development, qualitative risk analysis, and mitigation planning. This is a highly collaborative, execution-focused role reporting to the Senior Project Director, with direct involvement in tracking program health, schedule performance, and risk posture across active workstreams.

This role requires comfort operating in first-of-a-kind environments where precedent is limited, requirements evolve, and creative problem-solving is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Management
  • Support the Senior Project Director in planning and executing multi-phase nuclear energy programs, from conceptual development through licensing, procurement, and construction.
  • Develop, maintain, and analyze integrated project schedules using Primavera P6 or equivalent tools, tracking critical path, float, and milestone performance.
  • Monitor and report on scope, schedule, and cost performance—preparing project health updates and progress reports for leadership and stakeholders.
  • Coordinate cross-functional activities across engineering, licensing, procurement, and operations teams to drive alignment and resolve interface issues.
  • Facilitate phase gate reviews, design reviews, and decision checkpoints to maintain alignment on technical scope and regulatory milestones.
  • Manage vendor and subcontractor deliverables, ensuring compliance with schedule, quality, and safety requirements.
  • Support change management processes, including scope change identification, impact assessment, and documentation.
  • Promote a proactive nuclear safety culture across both remote and field-based activities.
• Risk Management
  • Maintain and update the program risk register, including risk identification, categorization, qualitative analysis, and mitigation tracking.
  • Participate in risk workshops and structured elicitation sessions with technical, regulatory, and commercial stakeholders.
  • Support development and maintenance of risk mitigation plans, owner assignments, and response strategies for high-priority programmatic and technical risks.
  • Assist with schedule and cost risk analyses to support contingency planning and leadership decision-making.
  • Integrate risk management outputs into program reporting, schedule baselines, and project controls processes.
  • Monitor emerging risks across licensing, engineering, supply chain, and construction workstreams and escalate appropriately.

Required Skills & Experience

• 5–8 years of experience in project management, with demonstrated responsibility for schedule, scope, and stakeholder coordination on complex technical programs.
• Meaningful hands-on experience in project risk management, including risk register development, qualitative risk analysis, and mitigation planning.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related technical field.
• Experience in regulated technical environments such as nuclear, aerospace, defense, oil & gas, or large-scale industrial capital projects.
• Proficiency with project scheduling tools such as Oracle Primavera Cloud or MS Project.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize schedule and risk data for program leadership.
• Proven ability to work effectively in virtual and hybrid team environments and coordinate across organizational boundaries.
• PMP or equivalent project management certification preferred.
• Must be a U.S. person eligible to meet DOE Export Control requirements under 10 CFR 810.
• Travel up to 25% travel expected

Desired Skills & Experience

• Advanced degree (MS or MBA) in Engineering, Project Management, or Business.
• Experience with nuclear programs, SMRs, or first-of-a-kind technology development in a regulated setting.
• Background in NRC or DOE regulatory environments; familiarity with nuclear QA programs (e.g., NQA-1) and compliance documentation.
• PMI-RMP (Risk Management Professional) certification or equivalent formal risk management training.
• Familiarity with risk analysis software (e.g., Oracle Risk, ARM, @Risk) and probabilistic contingency modeling.
• Familiarity with enterprise project management and collaboration platforms such as ClickUp.
• Experience in startup or innovation-driven organizations where scope and process are actively evolving.

Key Competencies

• Risk Management Foundation – Solid understanding of risk identification, qualitative analysis, and mitigation practices in complex project environments.
• Project Controls Discipline – Ability to manage schedule, scope, and cost baselines while proactively identifying deviations and supporting corrective action.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Skilled at coordinating across engineering, licensing, commercial, and operations teams to maintain alignment and momentum.
• Communication & Reporting – Clear, organized communicator who can translate project and risk status into concise updates for leadership.
• Adaptability & Problem-Solving – Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments where processes are still being defined and priorities shift.

Our Commitment: 

Deep Fission is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds who share our passion for advancing clean nuclear energy and creating a sustainable future. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, age, sex, marital status, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.