Director of Engineering

Join our team to help meet current and future challenges to build the clean energy world of tomorrow. By joining the Orano Group, you will be a part of a leading international player in the nuclear industry. 

Our strengths? Across the entire fuel cycle, we have extensive expertise in cutting-edge technologies, safe, high value-added products and services, and a strong capacity for innovation. Step into a career-defining opportunity with Orano USA, a global leader in nuclear innovation, as we launch Project IKE—a cutting-edge uranium enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee

OVERVIEW

Orano USA is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Engineering to lead and coordinate all engineering activities for Project IKE. Working in close partnership with the Orano executive leadership teams, the Director of Engineering will be responsible for planning, organizing, supervising, and successfully delivering design, procurement, fabrication, and testing activities, while adhering to strict quality and nuclear safety standards, schedules, and budgets.

This is a high‑impact position that requires strong technical skills, sound judgment, and the ability to lead effectively in a fast‑paced environment. You'll also serve as the primary liaison with our global teams and external partners, ensuring our posture supports both operational execution and strategic objectives, and be at the forefront of building one of the most advanced clean energy infrastructures in the country.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Lead the project end to end, from design through commissioning, in close coordination with the executive management team, serving as their primary point of contact. 
• Ensure the successful completion of all major project milestones, including order confirmation, selection of design variants and optimizations, document approvals, permits and authorizations, contract execution, testing, and commissioning. 
• Identify uncertainties and risks, mobilize subject-matter expertise, build consensus, organize trade-off decisions and decision-making processes, and provide ongoing follow-up.

2. Project Performance Management: 

• Own overall project performance, supported by a comprehensive Project Management Plan that you will develop and maintain as a living document. 
• Beyond schedule and resource management, take responsibility for quality, traceability, document control, scope management, and interface management. 
• Deploy project-level tools and reference frameworks across the project.

3. Regulatory Support: 

• Support the executive management in its interactions with regulatory authorities, particularly the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
• Provide the evidence and documentation needed to demonstrate compliance with project commitments.

4. Prime Contractor Responsibilities: 

• Assume full Prime Contractor accountability, including overall construction organization.
• Mobilization of supply chains and industry partners.
• Implementation of health, safety, and environmental compliance measures (including site safety coordination).
• Contracting strategy and associated contract management; and representation before regulatory and administrative authorities.

5. Financial and Risk Management: 

• Monitor budgets, risks (and their mitigation), opportunities, and allocated resources on both an annual and multi-year basis. 
• Consolidate financial data and maintain a multi-year view of commitments and expenditures. 
• Manage a portion of the project's financial contingency reserves. 
• Own the project's financial reporting and associated key performance indicators (KPIs) within your scope of responsibility.

6. Team Leadership: 

• Build, organize, and lead your own team, which you will be responsible for recruiting. 
• Operate on a subsidiarity basis with existing cross-functional resources within the project and across the Group.

• A bachelor's degree in engineering, nuclear engineering, or related career field, a master's degree is a plus.
• A minimum of 10–15 years of professional experience as a Director of Engineering managing large-scale industrial projects, preferably in the nuclear sector
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies, PMI/PMP, PRINCE2, etc. certification is a plus
• Solid knowledge of applicable regulations and standards in design and construction
• Demonstrated success leading and uniting multidisciplinary technical teams in demanding, highly regulated environments, including experience scaling up teams or guiding them through evolving mission. 
• Committed, rigorous, responsive, and self-directed; a proactive, take-charge approach and the ability to drive discussions forward will be highly value
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with a wide range of professional profiles and thrive in a project-based, cross-functional work environment

This position requires access to classified national security information. In accordance with U.S. government regulations governing such access, only U.S. citizens (natural born or naturalized) are eligible for a security clearance. Applicants must possess or be able to obtain and maintain a clearance to access classified national security information.