Systems Engineering Manager

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.

Job Summary

Kairos Power is seeking a Systems Engineering Manager to lead cross-functional systems engineering and requirements integration efforts that are critical to the successful development and delivery of our next-generation reactor technology. Reporting to the Senior Director of Engineering Integration, this role blends hands-on technical leadership with team management responsibilities. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in systems engineering, requirements management, and product lifecycle development. They will also bring proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, driving process improvements, aligning system engineering efforts with organizational goals.

Responsibilities

- Provide technical leadership across system architecture, requirement development, and integration activities to ensure robust and traceable system designs

- Drive the development and continuous improvement of system engineering process, tools, and standards to ensure consistent and high-quality outcomes

- Coordinate the periodic review and update of design procedures, engineering processes, and technical guidelines to align with evolving project needs

- Partner closely with Project Engineering and Project Management teams to support system development throughout the full project lifecycle—from concept and design through implementation, testing, and delivery

- Lead verification and validation planning, ensuring that requirements are testable and fully integrated into product development workflows

- Facilitate effective cross-functional collaboration, ensuring system-level thinking is embedded across engineering disciplines

- Perform additional responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related design discipline

- 6+ years of relevant engineering experience, at least 3 years in technical leadership or managerial role involving:

- Functional analysis, trade studies, requirement decomposition and allocation

- Defining and documenting system interfaces and specifications, as well as developing and implementing structured engineering programs and processes

- Leading systems engineering teams and cross-functional working groups

- Demonstrated success in managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects in a regulated environment such as nuclear, aerospace, defense, or medical devices

- Experience with safety-critical or mission-critical systems with an understanding of graded approaches to quality and the implication on requirements is required

- Experience with configuration management

- Proficiency with MBSE tools and system architecture framework is preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

- Strong understanding of systems engineering principles, lifecycle models (e.g. V-model), and requirements management, and best practices

- Proficiency in requirements definition, analysis, and traceability tools such as DOORS, Jama Connect

- Demonstrated ability to mentor and lead engineering teams, fostering collaboration across diverse technical disciplines.

- Skilled at translating complex technical challenges into actional engineering workstreams.

- Able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic engineering environment, managing shifting priorities and tight development timelines.

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.

- Passionate about promoting a culture of technical rigor, innovation, and continuous improvement.

- Ability to work with highly collaborative team

- Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently

- Prioritizes and ensures safety of one self and others

- Ability to proactively collect, manage and transfer knowledge

- Ability to seek different and novel ways to create efficiencies when working on problems, challenges and issues

Physical Demands

- Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods

Environmental Conditions

- General office environment

- Assessing the accuracy, neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned

- High-concentration, demanding and fast-paced

Safety and PPE

- Reading and interpreting hazardous warning signs

- Reporting issues with equipment or unsafe conditions

- Wearing proper PPE, to include face mask, face shields, gloves, safety shoes, etc.

Travel

- Some travel may be required, up to 20%

The salary range for this position is $175,000 to $218,800 for employees working onsite at our Alameda, CA headquarters. The range provided in this job posting represents the typical range or starting rate of candidates hired in California. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include your education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, the market data for your work location, and a comparison to other employees already in the role.

#LI-Remote

About our Benefits

We know that we have some of the most talented and dedicated employees, and we believe in rewarding them accordingly. If you work here, full-time employees (excludes interns) expect to have access to the benefits below:

- Competitive compensation packages

- Medical, dental and vision benefits for employees and their dependents

- Paid Vacation

- 401(k) and pre-tax health insurance, dependent care, and commuter benefits (FSA)

Kairos Power is committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects the communities where we do business. Kairos Power is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We actively welcome people of different experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Kairos Power participates in E-Verify.

Candidates only, no recruiters or agencies please.

Note: You are applying for a position that is located in a facility that handles information that is subject to export control restrictions by the Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. To work in this facility, you need to be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries that are not on the Department of Energy's general authorization list (link below) are not permitted to work in our facility unless the Department of Energy issues an export control license to the company to permit that individual to have access to Part 810-controlled information. The following questions are intended to determine the licensing requirements that may apply. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/10/appendix-A_to_part_810