Senior Manager for Nuclear Facility Safety

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) seeks an experienced and highly respected nuclear safety leader to serve as Senior Manager for Nuclear Facility Safety. This position provides strategic and technical leadership for the Laboratory's nuclear safety programs, including Nuclear Safety Basis (Documented Safety Analysis & Technical Safety Requirements), Criticality Safety, and Nuclear Readiness & Startup. This position directly safeguards the Laboratory's ability to execute critical national security and scientific missions involving nuclear materials.

The Senior Manager ensures that safety bases are technically defensible, controls are implemented, and that the Laboratory maintains DOE's confidence in its nuclear operations.

Reporting to the Engineering Director/Chief Engineer, this role ensures the Laboratory's nuclear facilities operate in full compliance with 10 CFR 830 Subpart B, DOE O 420.1C, DOE O 414.1D, and associated DOE directives. The Senior Manager serves as the institutional authority for nuclear safety programs and is the primary interface with DOE/NNSA field offices on nuclear safety matters.

Strategic Nuclear Safety Leadership

• Establish and maintain institutional nuclear safety policies and governance.
• Provide senior-level oversight of safety basis development, maintenance, and implementation.
• Ensure integration of safety programs across Hazard Category 2 and 3 facilities and operations.
• Advise senior laboratory leadership on nuclear safety risk posture.
• Promote a robust nuclear safety culture across the Laboratory.

Nuclear Safety Basis (10 CFR 830)

• Oversee development, revision, and maintenance of Documented Safety Analyses (DSAs) and Technical Safety Requirements (TSRs).
• Ensure Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) processes are rigorously implemented.
• Lead safety basis strategy for new nuclear facilities and major modifications.
• Interface with DOE and DNFSB on nuclear safety related deliverables, issues, etc...
• Ensure compliance with DOE-STD-3009 and related safety analysis standards.

Criticality Safety Program

• Provide executive oversight of the Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) program.
• Ensure compliance with ANSI/ANS-8 standards and DOE O 420.1C requirements.
• Maintain defensible criticality safety evaluations (CSEs) and controls.
• Ensure strong integration between operations, nuclear safety, and criticality safety engineering.

Nuclear Readiness & Startup

• Oversee nuclear readiness reviews, management self-assessments, and DOE Operational Readiness Reviews (ORRs).
• Ensure readiness processes meet DOE O 425.1 requirements.
• Provide independent evaluation of facility safety posture prior to startup or restart.
• Guide facilities through startup following significant modifications or extended outages.

Regulatory & DOE Interface

• Serve as principal point of contact for DOE field offices on nuclear safety matters.
• Support Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) interactions where applicable.
• Provide briefings to senior laboratory and federal leadership.
• Ensure timely response to DOE findings, enforcement actions, and assessments.

Leadership & Culture

• Lead a multidisciplinary team of nuclear safety analysts, criticality engineers, and readiness staff.
• Establish high technical standards and expectations for analytical rigor.
• Mentor next-generation nuclear safety professionals.
• Drive continuous improvement in nuclear safety performance.

Core Competencies

• Exceptional technical credibility in nuclear safety
• Strong regulatory judgment and risk-based decision-making
• Executive communication and influence
• Integrity and independence
• Ability to balance mission delivery with uncompromising safety standards
• Strategic thinking in complex, highly regulated environments

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or related technical discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• Minimum 15+ years of experience in DOE nuclear facility operations or nuclear safety.
• Demonstrated expertise in:
  • 10 CFR 830 (Nuclear Safety Management)
  • DOE-STD-3009 safety analysis
  • USQ process implementation
  • Nuclear criticality safety
  • NQA-1 quality assurance
  • DOE O 425.1 readiness requirements
• Experience supporting DOE/NNSA…