Operations Engineer

Company Overview

Kairos Power is a new nuclear energy technology and engineering company whose mission is to enable the world’s transition to clean energy, with the ultimate goal to dramatically improve people’s quality of life while protecting the environment. This goal will be accomplished through the commercialization of the fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) that can be deployed with robust safety, affordable costs, and flexible operation to accommodate the expansion of variable renewables.

Kairos Power is seeking an Operations Engineer to integrate the conditions required to support efficient execution of reactor builds. Where Build Engineers make individual work packages executable, the Operations Engineer supports execution of overall build by aligning people, parts, plant, planning, engineering readiness, quality, tooling, and constraints. The role owns the integrated master execution schedule and administers the Last Planner process while using AI-enabled tools to improve constraint visibility, schedule quality, and decision speed. The near-term plan may be developed on a physical Last Planner board, with the Operations Engineer capturing commitments, constraints, and variance data to improve the baseline planning approach for the next build.

• Own and maintain the integrated master execution schedule for assigned reactor build, integration, Test and Activation, fueling, and related operational activities.

• Administer the Last Planner process and translate long-range milestones into credible near-term executable work.

• Integrate personnel availability, material/part status, plant/facility readiness, work-package maturity, engineering completion, quality requirements, tooling, and prerequisite activities.

• Identify constraints before they disrupt field work and coordinate timely resolution with responsible owners.

• Maintain clear views of work that is executable now, work approaching readiness, and work at risk.

• Analyze sequencing alternatives and reduce avoidable latency, handoff delays, resource conflicts, and work-front congestion.

• Coordinate closely with Build Engineers, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Construction, Test and Activation teams, and leadership.

• Use AI-enabled tools to synthesize status across enterprise systems, identify emerging conflicts, evaluate scenarios, and automate routine reporting.

• Develop or tailor lightweight planning and visualization tools within approved guardrails when existing tools do not adequately support execution and planning needs.

• Capture and apply lessons from schedule performance and constraint resolution to improve future reactor planning.

• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Construction Management, Operations Research, Systems Engineering, or related discipline.

• Typically 3+ years of experience in complex project execution, production planning, construction planning, manufacturing operations, commissioning, or integrated scheduling; candidates with less experience may be considered based on strong demonstrated capability.

• Experience integrating schedules with material, labor, engineering, quality, and physical-work constraints.

• Working knowledge of critical path, look-ahead planning, constraint management, and production control.

• Strong quantitative, analytical, and communication skills.

• Proficiency with AI-enabled tools, or demonstrated ability to learn and apply new digital tools effectively.

• Experience with Last Planner System or lean construction/production methods is strongly