Operations Manager Jobs in Chanute, KS (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary 

Deep Fission is seeking an NRC licensed Nuclear Site Manager to lead day-to-day operations at our reactor pilot site in Parsons, Kansas, including direct oversight of the site's reactor operators. This role owns operational readiness, safety, and performance on site as the Gravity Nuclear Reactor pilot project moves from construction and commissioning toward reactor testing and pilot operations. 

The ideal candidate brings a background in nuclear plant operations leadership, hands-on management of operating crews, and comfort building operating structure and procedures in a first-of-a-kind, pre-commercial environment. This is a highly visible, on-site leadership role at Deep Fission's flagship demonstration site, requiring someone who can translate corporate programs — safety, quality assurance, procedures — into disciplined, repeatable site execution while directly supervising the people running the plant. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Site & Operations Leadership 
  • Lead day-to-day site operations at the Parsons, KS facility, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient execution of reactor testing, startup, and pilot operations activities. 
  • Serve as the site's senior on-site leader, coordinating across construction, commissioning, engineering, and licensing teams to keep site activities aligned with the overall project plan. 
  • Own site operational readiness milestones, ensuring procedures, staffing, and equipment are in place ahead of planned testing and operational phases. 
  • Manage site budget, schedule, and resource needs in coordination with corporate operations and project leadership.
• Nuclear Operator Management 
  • Directly supervise and manage all site personnel to include operators, chemistry, Radcon, and Maintenance. 
  • Build and lead the site's operator team, including hiring support, onboarding, qualification tracking, and ongoing training coordination and performance management. 
  • Input to staffing plans and operating rosters to support site and company growth. 
  • Mentor and develop operators as the site progresses from construction and commissioning through pilot operations, building bench strength for future commercial sites. 
• Safety & Compliance 
  • Champion a strong, visible nuclear safety culture across all site personnel and activities. 
  • Ensure site operations comply with applicable regulatory, and internal safety, security, and quality assurance requirements. 
  • Oversee implementation of operating procedures, conduct of operations standards, and radiological and industrial safety programs at the site. 
  • Support incident investigation, corrective action tracking, and lessons-learned processes for site events. 
• Cross-Functional & Program Coordination 
  • Coordinate with corporate operations, licensing, and engineering leadership to align site-level execution with enterprise programs, including quality assurance, procurement, and licensing. 
  • Interface with construction and commissioning teams to manage the site's transition from construction to operations. 
  • Communicate site status, risks, and needs clearly to company leadership and supporting functions. 
  • Support site-level interactions with regulatory representatives during inspections, audits, and site visits, in coordination with the licensing and regulatory teams. 

Required Skills & Experience 

• 10+ years of experience in nuclear plant operations, operations management, or site leadership at a licensed nuclear facility or comparable regulated industrial or energy site. 
• Active or prior NRC Operator license. 
• Demonstrated experience directly supervising operations personnel, including scheduling, performance management, and qualification or training oversight. 
• Working knowledge of nuclear operating procedures, conduct of operations principles, and regulatory expectations for plant operations. 
• Experience operating within a nuclear safety culture and quality assurance program. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead on-site teams through construction-to-operations transitions or plant startup and commissioning activities. 
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to coordinate across engineering, licensing, construction, and corporate functions. 
• Must be a U.S. person eligible to meet DOE Export Control requirements under 10 CFR 810. 
• Ability to work independently in a remote-first, cross-functional environment with senior stakeholders. 
• Willingness to travel domestically for team offsites, training sessions, and site visits as required - up to 20% travel.

Desired Skills & Experience 

• Experience at a first-of-a-kind, advanced reactor, or SMR demonstration or pilot site. 
• Senior reactor operator license (SRO).
• Background in nuclear plant startup, commissioning, or reactor test operations. 
• Experience building operations organizations from the ground up in a startup or pre-commercial environment. 
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent operational experience (e.g., Navy nuclear program). 

Key Competencies 

• Operational Leadership – Leads on-site teams with clarity and discipline, translating corporate programs into repeatable, safe site execution. 
• Safety Culture Ownership – Models and reinforces nuclear safety culture as a daily practice, not a compliance exercise. 
• People Management – Builds, schedules, and develops a high-performing reactor operator team. 
• Cross-Functional Coordination – Bridges construction, engineering, licensing, and corporate operations to keep the site aligned with the broader program. 
• Execution Under Ambiguity – Comfortable establishing site processes and structure in a first-of-a-kind, pre-commercial environment. 
• Communication – Clearly reports site status, risks, and needs to leadership and regulators alike. 
  

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