Hardware Program Manager - Steam Generator

Bluecore Energy HQ; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

BlueCore Energy is hiring a Hardware Program Manager for the steam generator aboard our floating PWR project in Long Beach, CA. You will bridge mechanical and thermal-hydraulic engineering with external vendors, turning requirements into clear specifications and driving the program on performance, cost, and schedule.

You’ll lead design reviews, manage vendor documents, and track progress through fabrication while upholding ASME and NQA-1 standards, reporting status to leadership with candor and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Nuclear, or Chemical Engineering
• 5+ years in program management or supplier management for major engineered equipment such as heat exchangers, pressure vessels, boilers, or steam generators
• Deep understanding of heat exchanger design and fabrication to hold your own in a design review
• Hands‑on experience managing vendor document reviews, inspection and test plans, and fabrication oversight for complex hardware
• Familiarity with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and quality programs in a regulated industry
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage integrated schedules, budgets, and risk registers
• Clear, low‑ego communicator who can translate between engineers, vendors, and leadership

Responsibilities

• Serve as the single point of accountability for the steam generator program, owning scope, schedule, budget, and risk from requirements definition through fabrication, testing, and delivery to Long Beach
• Partner with our mechanical and thermal-hydraulics engineers to capture steam generator requirements and translate them into clear technical specifications and RFQ packages
• Identify, evaluate, and qualify steam generator suppliers, including fabricators of tubing, forgings, and pressure vessels, and support contract negotiations alongside Supply Chain leadership
• Lead technical exchanges and design reviews with vendors, critically evaluating their design feedback, deviation requests, and proposed alternatives to confirm they meet our requirements
• Manage vendor document submittals such as drawings, calculations, weld procedures, and inspection and test plans, and drive timely internal review and disposition with Engineering and Quality
• Track supplier progress through fabrication by expediting critical milestones, conducting shop visits, and driving recovery plans when schedule or quality issues arise
• Work with the Quality team to ensure suppliers meet applicable codes and quality standards (ASME Section III, NQA-1) and to resolve nonconformances quickly
• Maintain a living risk register and report program status, cost, and schedule to leadership clearly and honestly

Skills

Program management

Supplier management

Vendor coordination

Communication

Schedule management

Quality awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Nuclear, or Chemical Engineering

PMP certification

Tools

ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code

NQA-1

Job description

Our Mission Is Simple: Democratize Access To Clean Energy

Welcome to BlueCore Energy! We are on a relentless mission to democratize access to clean energy. By designing and building advanced floating Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) on barges right here in Long Beach, CA, we are bringing scalable, clean, and reliable power to the world. Joining our team means getting in on the ground floor of a revolution in marine small modular reactors (SMRs). If you are passionate, driven, and ready to tackle some of the most exciting challenges of our time, we want you on our team!

Our Values

• Humility — We hold strong opinions loosely, say "I don't know," ask for help early, and let the best idea win regardless of who it came from.

• Inclusivity — The best engineering comes from many perspectives. We build a team where everyone is heard, and we mean it.

• Pragmatism — We solve the real problem in front of us, reuse what already works, and value a tested answer over an elegant one.

About the Role

As the Hardware Program Manager - Steam Generator, you will own the delivery of one of the most critical components in our floating PWR: the steam generator. Sitting on our Supply Chain team, you will be the bridge between our mechanical and thermal-hydraulic engineers and the external vendors who design and fabricate this equipment. You will help translate engineering requirements into clear vendor specifications, critically evaluate the design feedback suppliers bring back to us, and confirm that every recommendation actually moves our program forward on performance, cost, and schedule. This is a hands‑on role for someone equally comfortable reading a vendor drawing package, challenging a supplier's assumptions, and building the plan that gets the hardware to our barge.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the single point of accountability for the steam generator program, owning scope, schedule, budget, and risk from requirements definition through fabrication, testing, and delivery to Long Beach.

• Partner with our mechanical and thermal-hydraulics engineers to capture steam generator requirements (thermal performance, pressure boundary, materials, and marine loading) and translate them into clear technical specifications and RFQ packages.

• Identify, evaluate, and qualify steam generator suppliers, including fabricators of tubing, forgings, and pressure vessels, and support contract negotiations alongside Supply Chain leadership.

• Lead technical exchanges and design reviews with vendors, critically evaluating their design feedback, deviation requests, and proposed alternatives to confirm they meet our requirements and steer the program in the right direction.

• Manage vendor document submittals such as drawings, calculations, weld procedures, and inspection and test plans, and drive timely internal review and disposition with Engineering and Quality.

• Track supplier progress through fabrication by expediting critical milestones, conducting shop visits, and driving recovery plans when schedule or quality issues arise.

• Work with the Quality team to ensure suppliers meet applicable codes and quality standards (ASME Section III, NQA-1) and to resolve nonconformances quickly.

• Maintain a living risk register and report program status, cost, and schedule to leadership clearly and honestly.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Nuclear, or Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.

• 5+ years of experience in program management, supplier management, or technical procurement for major engineered equipment such as heat exchangers, pressure vessels, boilers, or steam generators.

• Working technical understanding of heat exchanger design and fabrication, enough to hold your own in a design review and push back on a vendor's assumptions.

• Hands‑on experience managing vendor document reviews, inspection and test plans, and fabrication oversight for complex hardware.

• Familiarity with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and quality programs in a regulated industry.

• Demonstrated ability to build and manage integrated schedules, budgets, and risk registers.

• Clear, low‑ego communicator who can translate between engineers, vendors, and leadership.

Desired Qualifications & Skills

• Direct experience with nuclear steam generators, including ASME Section III and NQA-1 supplier requirements.

• Background in naval nuclear, marine, or shipboard systems.

• Experience on first‑of‑a‑kind hardware programs or building a supplier base from scratch at a startup.

• PMP certification or equivalent formal project management training.

Working at BlueCore Energy

On‑Site Requirement: Our team works together at our Long Beach facility, right next to our barge.

Highly Cross‑Functional: Startups move fast! You must possess the ability to seamlessly collaborate across multiple teams to rapidly solve problems and keep production moving.

Physical & Machinery Requirements: Because we are a hands‑on startup, this role may require the ability to perform physical labor, navigate active construction/manufacturing zones, and/or operate heavy machinery and specialized manufacturing equipment as needed.

175000 - 195000 USD a year