Senior Manager, Operational Readiness

xenergy; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

TRISO-X in Oak Ridge, TN, seeks a Senior Readiness Manager to lead the facility's operational readiness program, ensuring systems, personnel, procedures, and documentation are prepared and verified before new operations and turnovers. You will guide a combined workforce, set readiness criteria, and champion NRC regulatory commitments.

The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering or related field and at least 10 years in nuclear operations or readiness within a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years of professional experience in nuclear operations, startup/commissioning, operational readiness, or a closely related function within a regulated nuclear environment.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the facility operational readiness program, including development, implementation, and continuous improvement of readiness review methodologies, criteria, and checklists.
• Lead, supervise, and develop a combined team of direct‑hire employees, subcontracted, and matrixed personnel; assign work, set priorities, manage performance, and integrate the team into the facility readiness mission.
• Provide oversight and direction of subcontracted personnel to ensure work aligns with facility requirements, quality standards, and readiness objectives.
• Plan, schedule, and execute readiness reviews and readiness assessments for new systems, process areas, and operational phases prior to authorization to operate.
• Define and track objective readiness criteria (core requirements) covering equipment, procedures, training and qualification, staffing, spare parts, safety controls, and regulatory prerequisites.
• Verify that facility, process, and safety equipment have completed required commissioning, testing, and turnover prior to start of operations.
• Confirm operators, maintenance, and support personnel are trained, qualified, and adequately staffed to support readiness activities.
• Verify that all required operating procedures are approved, validated, and in place prior to start of operations.
• Lead readiness review boards and coordinate independent verification, documenting findings, open items, and pre‑start and post‑start corrective actions.
• Track readiness findings and open items to closure, escalating unresolved or high‑risk items to leadership as needed.
• Ensure readiness activities satisfy NRC license conditions and applicable regulatory commitments.
• Coordinate with operations, maintenance, engineering, quality, and regulatory teams to integrate readiness across all disciplines.
• Support and lead safety walkdowns, management observations, and pre‑operational verifications as requested.
• Serve as SME for readiness during audits and inspections by internal and external bodies.
• Develop and deliver readiness training and mentoring for review team members and line personnel.
• Establish and report readiness metrics, status, and risks to facility leadership.
• Champion a strong nuclear safety culture, reinforcing conservative decision‑making and stop‑work authority when readiness is not demonstrated.
• Protect sensitive information in accordance with regulatory and company requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support plant operations.

Skills

Nuclear operations leadership

Program leadership

Regulatory compliance

Safety culture

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Job description

Job Description

The TRISO-X Senior Readiness Manager leads the operational readiness program which ensures that systems, personnel, procedures, and documentation are fully prepared and verified before the start of new operations, process turnovers, and phased transitions to continuous production. Acting as the central authority on readiness, this position drives the structured review and demonstration that equipment, staffing, training, procedures, safety controls, and regulatory commitments are in place and effective prior to authorization to operate. This position will lead a team of both direct‑hire employees and subcontracted personnel. The Senior Readiness Manager is responsible for directing, developing, and overseeing this combined workforce, and is accountable for its performance, assignments, and integration into the facility readiness mission as the organization grows. While performing the duties of this job, the individual must meet physical standards (e.g. be able to talk, hear, walk, and move consistently throughout the day). Workers may be subject to high temperatures, noises, and vibrations from generating equipment and may be subject to the handling of and exposure to hazardous and radioactive materials. Work may involve extended periods of standing, frequent bending/stooping, repetitive hand/arm movements, and movements requiring fine motor control.

Job Profile Tasks/Responsibilities:

• Own and lead the facility operational readiness program, including the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of readiness review methodologies, criteria, and checklists.
• Lead, supervise, and develop a combined team of direct‑hire employees, subcontracted, and matrixed personnel; assign work, set priorities, manage performance, and integrate the team into the facility readiness mission.
• Provide oversight and direction of subcontracted personnel to ensure their work aligns with facility requirements, quality standards, and readiness objectives.
• Plan, schedule, and execute readiness reviews and readiness assessments for new systems, process areas, and operational phases prior to authorization to operate.
• Define and track objective readiness criteria (core requirements) covering equipment, procedures, training and qualification, staffing, spare parts, safety controls, and regulatory prerequisites.
• Verify that facility, process, and safety equipment have completed required commissioning, testing, and turnover before being placed in service.
• Confirm that operators, maintenance, and support personnel are trained, qualified, and adequately staffed to support the activity being assessed for readiness.
• Verify that all required Operations procedures - standard operating, abnormal, alarm response, and emergency response - are approved, validated, and in place prior to start of operations.
• Lead readiness review boards and coordinate independent verification, documenting findings, open items, and pre‑start and post‑start corrective actions.
• Track readiness findings and open items to closure, escalating unresolved or high‑risk items to facility and executive leadership as needed.
• Ensure readiness activities satisfy NRC license conditions and applicable regulatory commitments.
• Coordinate closely with operations, maintenance, engineering, quality, and regulatory teams to integrate readiness across all disciplines.
• As requested, support and lead safety walkdowns, management observations, and pre‑operational field verifications.
• Serve as subject matter expert for readiness during audits, assessments, and inspections by internal auditing programs and external regulatory agencies.
• Develop and deliver readiness training and mentoring for review team members and line personnel.
• Establish and report readiness metrics, status, and risks to facility leadership, supporting schedule and milestone attainment.
• Champion a strong nuclear safety culture, reinforcing conservative decision‑making, procedural compliance, and stop‑work authority when readiness is not demonstrated.
• Protect sensitive information, including security‑related and export‑controlled data, in accordance with regulatory and company requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support plant operations and organizational goals.

Job Profile Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related science or technical field.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in nuclear operations, startup/commissioning, operational readiness, or a closely related function within a regulated nucl