Mechanical Engineering Manager Jobs in Oak Ridge, TN

ORAU is conducting the search on behalf of Type One Energy for a permanent, fulltime Thermofluids Engineering Manager in Knoxville, TN.

Location: Knoxville, TN

Salary: Highly Competitive Plus Benefits

Role: Permanent, full time

Reporting to: Director of Thermofluids Engineering

About Type One Energy

Type One Energy Group is mission-driven to provide sustainable, affordable fusion power to the world. Established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, the company is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists with a strong track record of building state-of-the-art stellarator fusion machines, together with veteran business leaders experienced in scaling companies and commercializing energy technologies.

If you are searching for the best new ideas and share our vision, join us as an "Thermofluids Engineering Manager".

Type One Energy offers:

In addition to a basic salary and yearly bonus, you will also get...

A hybrid work policy
• Stock options
• Relocation allowance
• Insurance plans
• Retirement options
• And many more great voluntary benefits

Type One Energy applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics and high-field superconducting magnets to develop its optimized stellarator fusion energy system. Our FusionDirect development program pursues the lowest-risk, shortest-schedule path to a fusion power plant over the coming decade, using a partner-intensive and capital-efficient strategy.

Type One Energy is committed to community engagement in the development and deployment of its clean energy technology. For more information, visit www.typeoneenergy.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Your role in the mission:

Type One Energy is seeking a Thermofluids Engineering Manager to oversee, coordinate, and optimize the deployment of engineering resources across multiple technically complex programs. This role is critical to ensuring that engineering talent is effectively aligned with project priorities, schedules, and technical requirements while maintaining the highest standards of engineering quality.

The role operates within a matrixed engineering organization, working closely with Engineering Directors, Technical Leads, Project Managers, HR, and cross-functional stakeholders. The role combines people leadership, resource and capacity planning, and hands-on technical oversight.

While the role includes meaningful technical engagement, its primary emphasis is on people leadership and team development. In addition to overseeing resource management and fostering the growth and performance of the engineering team, the Engineering Manager will also contribute as a Senior Engineer when appropriate, participating in design reviews and ensuring the quality, accuracy, and integrity of engineering models, analyses, and drawings.

Engineering Resource Planning & Allocation

• Assign engineers to projects based on technical skill sets, experience level, and project priorities.
• Balance workloads across teams to ensure efficient utilization while avoiding burnout or skill misalignment.
• Continuously monitor resource capacity and utilization across ongoing and planned projects.
• Forecast future engineering resource requirements based on the project pipeline, program schedules, and business objectives. This includes estimates of personnel, software, computing requirements and other tools required to achieve project objectives.
• Work closely with the Director of Engineering to resolve resource conflicts and competing priorities across programs.

People Leadership & Performance Management

• Provide direct people leadership to assigned engineers, scientists, and technical staff.
• Support employee needs and serve as a point of escalation, representing team concerns and issues to HR and leadership.
• Facilitate performance management processes, including goal setting, feedback, performance reviews, and development planning.
• Ensure engineers are delivering effectively on assigned tasks and proactively address performance or engagement issues.
• Contribute to the cultivation of a Thermofluids Engineering team that can work seamlessly in collaboration both internally and with the rest of the organization.

Capability Development & Workforce Growth

• Maintain a deep understanding of the technical skills, strengths, and development areas of the engineering team.
• Identify missing, underrepresented, or critical skill sets required to meet current and future program needs.
• Partner with HR and Engineering leadership to support recruiting and onboarding of new engineers.
• Work with individual engineers to identify training and professional development needs and support their growth.
• Establish and maintain teams of excellence (e.g., computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer, cryogenics, vacuum etc.) to strengthen core engineering capabilities.

Engineering Quality & Technical Oversight

• Actively mentor junior and mid-career engineers to grow technical depth, rigor, and engineering judgment.
• Ensure that sound engineering practices, standards, and documentation requirements are consistently followed.
• Participate in technical and design reviews to ensure quality, completeness, and integration of engineering work.
• Review and provide oversight on engineering models, analyses, and drawings to maintain technical excellence.
• Promote continuous improvement in engineering processes, tools, and workflows.

What you'll need:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering (with a strong focus on Thermofluids Engineering), Engineering Physics, or a closely related discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering design within complex technical environments.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, with a demonstrated track record of guiding engineers through career progression and advancing them along the engineering career ladder
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Analytical mindset with the ability to forecast resource needs, manage capacity, and balance competing priorities
• Genuinely derive satisfaction from enabling team members to perform the core technical work.