Director, Engineering Enrichment Operations

Director of Engineering – Enrichment Operations

As the Director of Engineering for BWXT Enrichment Operations, you will lead the full engineering function responsible for delivering a production-ready centrifuge product and a high-precision, highly automated factory capability. You will oversee engineering strategy from early concept through prototype/pilot phases to full-rate production, establishing core systems engineering and systems integration practices to ensure disciplined requirements management, interface control, verification/validation, and seamless subsystem integration. This role is pivotal in standing up a modern digital factory, enabling high-volume production with aerospace-grade quality and nuclear regulatory rigor.

Location On-site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Your Day-to-Day as the Director of Engineering

• Engineering Leadership & Organization :
  • Build, scale, and lead a multidisciplinary engineering organization spanning manufacturing, process, facilities, automation, industrialization, and precision systems.
  • Serve as the technical authority for manufacturability, scalability, risk management, and readiness.
• Systems Engineering (SE) :
  • Establish a modern systems engineering capability that includes requirements management, architecture development, interface control (ICDs), configuration management, verification and validation, and model-based systems engineering/digital thread practices.
  • Define "Definition of Done" at each development gate and ensure complete, build-ready Product Readiness Packs (e.g., BOMs, routers, test plans).
• Systems Integration (SI) :
  • Lead end-to-end integration of subsystems into the centrifuge product and supporting systems.
  • Develop integration plans, lab capabilities, fixtures, and test regimes to validate subsystem and system-level performance.
  • Collaborate with the CTO and ORNL Design Authority to align qualification evidence and change packages; support seamless integration with CMDF pilot builds and transfer to CMF industrialization.
• Factory Design, Construction & Startup :
  • Lead design, build, and commissioning of a high-precision manufacturing facility.
  • Integrate automation, robotics, and digital factory systems to enable high throughput, traceability, and tightly controlled processes.
• Manufacturing Excellence & DFx :
  • Deliver engineering solutions capable of automotive-pace production with aerospace-grade quality.
  • Drive design for manufacturability, assembly, quality, cost, and industrialization (DFM/DFA/DFQ/DFC).
• Quality, Safety & Compliance :
  • Ensure all engineering designs and processes meet nuclear regulatory, DOE, safety, and BWXT quality requirements.
  • Embed compliance gates, audit readiness, and pre-release checks throughout development.
• Program Controls & Schedule :
  • Partner with Business Operations and Program Controls to maintain a resource-loaded critical path schedule.
  • Support earned value management (EVM) discipline and weekly KPI reviews (SPI/CPI, cost variance, schedule adherence).
• Supply Chain & Technical Readiness :
  • Define technical acceptance criteria for supplier parts, processes, tooling, and special manufacturing steps.
  • Support supplier onboarding speed, delivery performance, and technical readiness to protect schedule-critical components.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration :
  • Work closely with CMDF (prototype/pilot operations), CMF (full-rate industrialization), the CTO/Technology organization, and Operations.
  • Drive the transition from low-rate initial production (LRIP) to full-rate production (FRP) on cost and schedule.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (advanced degree preferred).
• Fifteen (15+) years of progressive engineering leadership in high-precision, highly regulated manufacturing environments (nuclear, aerospace, defense, automotive, semiconductor, or similar).
• Demonstrated experience designing, building, commissioning, and scaling a high-precision manufacturing facility to high-volume production.
• Strong expertise in advanced manufacturing, automation, precision machining, assembly, metrology, and inspection systems.
• Must be a U.S. citizen capable of obtaining and maintaining a DOE Q clearance; active clearance preferred.
• Proven ability to lead large, multidisciplinary engineering teams in a fast-paced, highly technical environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with automotive-scale manufacturing and assembly; Lean/Six Sigma leadership.
• Hands-on experience deploying Industry 4.0, digital thread, digital twin, and smart factory systems.
• Experience guiding organizations from prototype/pilot phases to high-rate production in startup-like or greenfield environments.

What We Offer:

• Competitive compensation and benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.
• Flexible work schedules and paid time off to promote a healthy work-life balance (as applicable).
• Professional development opportunities, including mentorship programs, leadership training, and support for continuing education.
• An inclusive atmosphere that celebrates diverse perspectives and enables collaboration across all generations.
• The opportunity to shape a mission-driven organization advancing the future of energy and national security.
• Continuous learning and development opportunities to support long-term career growth.

Pay: $200,000 - $271,000