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Manager, Manufacturing Operations

Albuquerque, NM

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, Manufacturing Operations to lead shop-floor execution for component manufacturing in support of the company’s FHR technology development programs.

This role is responsible for managing the execution of component manufacturing, maintaining safe and effective shop operations, and ensuring manufacturing activities align with approved schedules, priorities, quality requirements, and changing R&D needs. The Manager will work closely with Machining, Welding, Manufacturing Planning and Production Control teams to verify schedule readiness, communicate shop capacity and constraints, and execute established priorities.

Responsibilities

  • Coordinate daily shop-floor operations with the Machining and Welding managers to support machining, fabrication, welding, assembly, and related manufacturing activities.
  • Manage the execution of manufacturing work orders to produce high-quality components, prototype hardware, test equipment, and developmental-test assemblies.
  • Partner closely with Manufacturing Planning and Production Control to:
    • Execute established production schedules and work-order priorities.
    • Verify job execution readiness prior to Production Control job release, including material readiness, tooling, drawings, work instructions, staffing, and equipment availability.
    • Communicate shop capacity, progress, constraints, schedule risks, and recovery actions.
    • Support accurate schedule status and completion reporting.
  • Maintain operational flexibility on the shop floor to support changing priorities, rapid prototyping, developmental testing, and urgent engineering needs while preserving alignment with approved manufacturing priorities.
  • Coordinate priority assignments and sequencing for shop personnel based on released work, shop conditions, safety requirements, and agreed priorities.
  • Coordinate with engineering, PITA, operations, testing, quality, and manufacturing-planning stakeholders
  • Participate in drawing and design reviews to improve manufacturability, cost effectiveness, GD&T application, fabrication approach, tooling, and process selection.
  • Lead work-order execution planning, including estimates for manufacturing capacity and staffing time, routing considerations, and work-instruction readiness.
  • Manage manufacturing equipment maintenance, repairs to ensure equipment is available to support standard job readiness and R&D commitments.
  • Operate and program manufacturing equipment when needed to meet schedule, quality, or critical-project requirements.
  • Drive continuous improvement in shop processes, workflow, safety, quality, productivity, and responsiveness.
  • Work with Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) and Facilities teams to maintain safe operations and support manufacturing-related infrastructure needs.
  • Promote cross-functional collaboration, inclusive values, knowledge transfer, and a strong safety culture.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Minimum 10 years of experience in fabrication, welding, and/or CNC machining.
  • Minimum 5 years of experience managing fabrication, welding, and/or CNC machining teams.
  • Demonstrated experience with CNC machining operations, including mills, lathes, routers, and 3-axis and 5-axis equipment.
  • Demonstrated experience with fabrication and welding processes, including welding inspection and quality programs.
  • Demonstrated experience applying relevant code and quality requirements, including applicable ASME standards and ISO 9001.
  • Demonstrated experience executing work in a high-mix, R&D, prototype, or rapidly changing manufacturing environment.
  • Experience coordinating shop execution against production schedules, work-order priorities, and capacity constraints.
  • Knowledge of CAD/CAM software such as Mastercam and SolidWorks preferred.
  • Experience with stainless steel, piping, pressure vessels, graphite, and ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code preferred.
  • Ability to qualify in ASME B31.3 GTAW welding or D1.1 structural GMAW welding is desirable.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • Strong knowledge of CNC machining, including mills, lathes, routers, and 3-axis and 5-axis equipment.
  • Strong knowledge of fabrication and welding processes, including welding inspection and quality programs.
  • Strong knowledge of applicable manufacturing codes, quality requirements, inspection practices, and safe shop operations, including relevant ASME standards and ISO 9001.
  • Advanced ability to read and interpret engineering and assembly drawings, including GD&T.
  • Ability to coordinate shop-floor execution across machining, fabrication, welding, assembly, and related manufacturing activities.
  • Ability to evaluate work-order readiness, shop capacity, staffing needs, constraints, and schedule risks.
  • Ability to identify manufacturing problems, develop practical recovery actions, and support continuous improvement.
  • Ability to communicate manufacturing status, priorities, constraints, and technical information effectively across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Planning, Production Control, and other stakeholders.
  • Ability to balance changing R&D needs with established manufacturing priorities, safety requirements, quality requirements, and available capacity.
  • Ability to provide clear work direction, support knowledge transfer, and foster collaborative and inclusive working practices.

Physical Demands

  • Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, scissor lifts, articulated boom lifts and the like
  • Setting up and transferring temporary structures (e.g., scaffolding, ladders)
  • Moving self in different positions to accomplish tasks in various environments including tight and confined spaces
  • Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods
  • Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another
  • Adjusting, moving, transporting, installing, positioning, or removing objects up to 50 pounds in all directions
  • Communicating with others to exchange information
  • Operating motor vehicles, heavy equipment, or machinery
  • Use hand tools
  • Repetitive assembly operations of manufacturing test fixtures and test setups in collaboration with engineering and manufacturing teams 

Environmental Conditions

  • General office environment
  • Low temperatures
  • High temperatures
  • Outdoor environment or elements such as precipitation and wind 
  • Noisy environments
  • Small and/or enclosed spaces
  • Odors or fumes from chemicals or chemical reactions
  • Evaluated heights
  • Accessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned
  • High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced

Safety and PPE

  • Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs
  • Manipulating, cleaning and disposal of hazardous materials
  • Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions
  • Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety footwear, and other PPE as required

Travel

  • Some travel may be required (up to 10 – 20%)

Certification

  • Capable of obtaining forklift and boom lift certification 

Additional Requirements

  • Occasionally requires schedule flexibility
  • Occasionally support non-standard work hours, weekends, or extended shifts for critical project timelines

 #LI-Onsite

About our Benefits

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)

Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. Kairos Power is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We actively welcome people of different experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Kairos Power participates in E-Verify.

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

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