Program Manager V

General Atomics; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 174,000 - 304,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

General Atomics is seeking aDirector of Engineering & Operations for the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego to lead technical operations, engineering, maintenance, and upgrades. The role ensures safe, reliable operation across complex systems and drives multi-disciplinary teams toward strategic facility development and program delivery.

The Director collaborates with GA leadership, scientific staff, DOE partners, and external collaborators to align objectives with research needs,

Qualifications

• Senior technical leadership experience with responsibility for operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, integration, and upgrades of complex physical systems.
• Proven program-management principles, concepts, practices, and tools.
• Strong leadership: planning, scheduling, budgeting, and coordinating workloads to meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall technical and operational leadership for the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and its complex systems.
• Oversee day-to-day facility operations, maintenance, and readiness of primary and auxiliary systems.
• Direct engineering activities for operations, troubleshooting, integration, and major upgrades, evaluating approaches and prioritizing requirements.
• Lead all phases of major operations and research support initiatives from concept to completion, including planning and execution.
• Develop program plans, schedules, resource plans, and performance objectives for complex initiatives.
• Ensure safety, regulatory compliance, and effective resource management across the facility.

Skills

Technical leadership

Program management

Budgeting & scheduling

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Safety & regulatory compliance

Fusion/plasma tech

Decision making

Communication skills

Education

Engineering degree

Science/Physics background

Job description

57434BR

Job Summary

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development, ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless, and laser technologies. The DIII-D National Fusion Facility is the U.S.’s flagship magnetic-confinement fusion research facility, focused on developing the scientific basis and technical solutions for future fusion reactors, including a net-electric-power plant and ITER.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a highly experienced Director of Engineering & Operations to lead the technical operations, engineering, maintenance, and continued development of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. This position is responsible for the safe, reliable, and effective operation of a complex, integrated experimental facility and for leading the multidisciplinary engineering and technical organizations that maintain, troubleshoot, upgrade, and advance its capabilities.

The Director provides technical and organizational leadership across facility systems, ensuring operational readiness, engineering integration, safety, reliability, and successful execution of major facility upgrades. The role requires substantial demonstrated experience exercising technical judgment and responsibility for complex operating hardware and engineering systems, including balancing near-term operational requirements with long-term facility development. Experience in fusion or plasma research is highly desirable, but candidates with relevant leadership experience in other sophisticated scientific, experimental, or engineering facilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Director plays a key role in the strategic development of DIII-D as a world-class scientific user facility, working closely with scientific leadership, researchers, engineers, national laboratories, and external partners to ensure that facility capabilities support evolving research needs. The position reports directly to the Vice President of Magnetic Fusion Energy and accomplishes objectives through subordinate managers, technical leads, and multidisciplinary teams.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide overall technical and operational leadership for the DIII-D National Fusion Facility, with responsibility for the safe, reliable, and effective operation, maintenance, engineering integration, and continued development of its complex experimental systems and supporting infrastructure.
• Oversee day-to-day facility operations, maintenance, system readiness, and operational performance, including primary machine systems, auxiliary systems, diagnostics, and infrastructure essential to the safe, reliable, and effective execution of the experimental program.
• Direct and provide technical oversight of engineering activities associated with facility operations, maintenance, troubleshooting, systems integration, research capability development, and major upgrades. Exercise technical judgment in evaluating engineering approaches, resolving complex system-level issues, and establishing technical requirements and priorities.
• Direct all phases of significant DIII-D operations, engineering, facility-development, and research-support initiatives from concept development through completion, including planning, acquisition support, execution, integration, and technical-performance management.
• Develop and coordinate program plans, delivery methods, schedules, resource plans, and performance objectives for complex initiatives involving multiple facility systems, technical disciplines, research activities, and stakeholders.
• Work with the Vice President of Magnetic Fusion Energy and other senior DIII-D and GA leaders to develop and implement current, annual, and long-term technical, operational, safety, schedule, quality, business, and financial objectives.
• Contribute to the development of DIII-D and GA organizational objectives, strategic plans, facility capabilities, and long-range program forecasts.
• Develop and manage operating budgets, resource plans, schedules, and performance measures. Direct and coordinate the preparation of program plans, work statements, specifications, operating budgets, and other planning and control documents.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety requirements, policies, procedures, and regulatory obligations. Exercise authority to stop, redirect, or modify an operation or project when necessary to protect personnel, the facility, the environment, or research assets.
• Identify and resolve significant technical, operational, and facility issues, providing leadership in developing and implementing solutions, including reallocating resources, revising schedules, modifying technical approaches, or adjusting requirements and implementation plans.
• Ensure technical leadership and organizational capability are maintained through the recruitment, selection, development, mentoring, retention, and effective deployment of engineering, operations, technical, and supporting personnel. Establish clear technical accountability and support the development of strong multidisciplinary teams.
• Lead, mentor, and motivate a diverse workforce of engineers, technicians, managers, and administrative personnel. Foster effective communication, collaboration, accountability, professional development, and a safe and productive work environment.
• Interact with senior management concerning matters of significance to DIII-D and GA. Serve as a primary point of contact for significant operational, technical, schedule, resource, safety, and facility issues.
• Lead program and facility reviews with DIII-D leadership, GA management, the Department of Energy, research collaborators, users, and other stakeholders to communicate cost, schedule, technical, operational, and safety performance.
• Support the development of new facility capabilities, research opportunities, strategic partnerships, and other initiatives that enhance the capabilities and long-term value of DIII-D.
• Collaborate with scientific leadership, researchers, technical staff, external institutions, government representatives, and other stakeholders to support experiments, facility use, technical planning, and execution of the DIII-D program.
• Maintain appropriate protection of proprietary technology, controlled information, and other sensitive information, and ensure the confidentiality of such information.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

Typically requires a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in engineering, science, physics, or a related technical field, as well as 15 or more years of progressively complex program-administration or technical-management experience, including at least 9 years managing significant programs or projects. Equivalent experience may be substituted in lieu of education.

• Demonstrate substantial senior technical leadership experience with direct responsibility for the operation, maintenance, troubleshooting, engineering integration, and upgrade of complex physical systems, preferably within a scientific research facility, experimental test facility, accelerator, nuclear facility, or similarly sophisticated technical environment.
• Demonstrate detailed and extensive knowledge of program-management principles, concepts, practices, and tools.
• Demonstrate comprehensive leadership skills, including organizing, planning, scheduling, budgeting, and coordinating workloads to meet established deadlines and milestones.
• Have substantial experience managing complex scientific, engineering, technical, or facility programs and leading large multidisciplinary teams.
• Have experience developing program plans, operating budgets, work statements, schedules, performance measures, and technical deliverables.
• Possess a strong technical background in fusion devices, plasma physics, scientific research facilities, engineering systems, or related technologies.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop solutions to complex problems requiring ingenuity, creativity, and sound judgment.
• Demonstrate the ability to assimilate complex information, evaluate alternatives, make timely decisions, and implement effective action plans.
• Possess strong communication, leadership, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills sufficient to interface effectively with departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, research collaborators, government representatives, and external institutions.
• Demonstrate the ability to build effective working relationships and trust, motivate personnel, and promote a collaborative and constructive management environment.
• Demonstrate experience managing safety, facility protection, regulatory compliance, and operational risk in a complex technical or research environment.
• Be able to lead activities involving multiple simultaneous projects, technical disciplines, stakeholders, and organizational priorities.

Job Category

Engineering

Experience Level

Senior (8+ years)

Workstyle

Onsite

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-Time Hourly

Pay Range Low

173,500

Pay Range High

304,000

Travel Percentage Required

0% - 25%

Relocation Assistance Provided?

Yes

US Citizenship Required?

No

Clearance Required?

No

General Atomics is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, gender, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, transitioning status, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, medical condition, mental disability, physical disability, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. In accordance with applicable federal law, General Atomics takes affirmative action to employ and advance the employment of qualified protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. We also prohibit compensation discrimination under all applicable laws. U.S. Citizenship is required for certain positions. To learn more, please review the EEOC's "Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal" poster.