Senior Manager

Job Summary

Kairos Power is seeking a Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering Designwith deep expertise in mechanical design and proven ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams. Reporting to the Senior Director of Engineering Integration, you will play a pivotal role in translating strategic direction into integrated programs and organizational practices, ensuring that multidisciplinary teams deliver at scale with consistency, quality, and efficiency.

As a Senior Manager, you will lead the mechanical engineering design team while partnering closely with the ASME pressure vessel design team – ensuring seamless integration across disciples. You will be accountable for driving program execution, building organizational capability, and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and safety. 

Responsibilities:

• Drive execution of strategic direction through integrated engineering roadmaps, programs, and workflows; oversee execution across multiple complex design projects with a focus on consistency, quality, and delivery.
• Lead, mentor, and develop managers and technical leads, ensuring that multidisciplinary teams are aligned, resourced, and performing at a high level while actively promoting Kairos Power’s engineering values and culture.  
• Establish and enforce mechanical engineering standards, tools, and processes to ensure reliable, scalable, and efficient execution across all projects.
• Identify and address program-level risks, conflicts, and bottlenecks early; resolve execution challenges and provide actionable insights to leadership for strategic decisions.
• Build organizational capability by growing engineering talent; coach managers to strengthen leadership depth within the organization.
• Champion continuous improvement, adoption of advanced design tools, and process innovations that enhance efficiency and technical quality.
• Provide leadership with data-driven recommendations on program performance, resource needs, and prioritization tradeoffs to support strategic decision-making.
• Provide design leadership across mechanical development activities, ensuring alignment with system requirements, performance goals and integration milestones.
• Oversee the creation of detailed design deliverables and drawing packages, ensuring accuracy, manufacturability, and alignment with system-level objectives.
• Establish and maintain robust CAD standards, design workflows, and review processes to ensure consistency, traceability, and efficiency across projects and teams.
• Coordinate mechanical design efforts across engineering teams and external stakeholders, serving as a key liaison with ASME pressure vessel group.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in either mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, or related discipline. Master’s degree or PE license preferred. 
• 12+ years of experience in mechanical design, including significant involvement with ASME pressure vessel design. 
• 7+ years of engineering leadership experience, including managing managers and scaling multidisciplinary engineering organizations. 
• Demonstrated success delivering mechanical designs from concept through to fabrication and testing.  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of ASME Section VIII, B31.3, and related design and pressure vessel codes 
• Familiarity with ASME BPVC Sec III, Sec VIII, ASME B31.1 and B31.3 piping codes is highly desired
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD Mechanical, and pressure vessel design tools such as COMPRESS, PV Elite
• Experience in design and analysis of pressure components and piping in industries such as nuclear, oil & gas, or petrochemical
• Strong understanding of manufacturing methods, welding, and materials selection for high-temperature and high-integrity systems 
• Ability to lead managers and senior engineers; develop talent pipelines; foster a culture of accountability and collaboration
• Skilled at translating complex technical challenges into actional engineering workstreams
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with minimal supervision and priorities
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills with proven ability to build cross-functional relationships and communicate effectively with technicians, engineers, manufacturing, and operations teams
• Ability to structure and oversee large, Skilled at translating complex technical challenges
• Executive presence; strong verbal, written, and presentation abilities; capable of conveying complex technical concepts to executives, peers, and external stakeholders.
• A team-oriented mindset with strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication abilities
• Experience working with high temperature molten salt or other advanced high temperature fluid systems is a plus
• Ability to work with highly collaborative team
• Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently
• Prioritizes and ensures safety of oneself 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 $201,300 to $251,600 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.

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