Technical Program Manager at Oklo in Santa Clara, CA or Remote

Job description

• Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Technical Program Manager to join Oklo's Recycling Division. We are looking to fill this role immediately.
• The Technical Program Manager will lead the development and execution of technical projects with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories and other government partners, turning strategic opportunities into well-defined agreements, work packages, and delivered results.
• The Technical Program Manager will serve as the primary point of contact and, where appropriate, principal investigator for national laboratory collaborations. You will work across Recycling engineering teams and interface closely with Legal, Procurement, Finance, and Recycling leadership to negotiate, establish, and execute contracts, cooperative agreements, and related project mechanisms.
• This role is for a technically fluent program leader who can develop new opportunities, shape ambiguous ideas into executable projects, and manage complex external partnerships from concept through closeout. Success requires strong technical judgment grounded in relevant experience, disciplined delivery management, and the ability to navigate technical, contractual, financial, and legal considerations in a fast-moving, highly regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Oklo's primary point of contact and, as assigned, principal investigator for national laboratory projects and other government-funded collaborations related to spent nuclear fuel recycling and pyroprocessing technology.
• Develop and manage project scope, statements of work, work packages, budgets, schedules, roles, success criteria, and acceptance criteria with national laboratory partners.
• Lead negotiations and coordinate internal approvals for contracts, subcontracts, cooperative agreements, Strategic Partnership Projects, CRADAs, DOE funding agreements, and other collaboration mechanisms.
• Collaborate with laboratory partners and internal technical teams to develop collaborative project content, including technical objectives, work plans, deliverables, intellectual property considerations, contracting avenues, and resource commitments.
• Interface with Legal, Procurement, Finance, and Recycling leadership to establish agreements and resolve contractual, financial, intellectual property, compliance, and execution issues.
• Manage contract deliverables, technical reports, milestones, invoices, funding profiles, action items, and overall work delivery through project completion and closeout.
• Maintain clear project governance, decision rights, meeting cadence, risk and issue tracking, change control, and communication across Oklo and laboratory teams.
• Monitor partner performance and project health; identify scope, schedule, cost, legal, or technical issues early and drive timely resolution or escalation.
• Develop new collaboration opportunities by translating Recycling Division needs and strategic priorities into project concepts suitable for national laboratory or DOE engagement.
• Solicit, evaluate, and mature project proposals from internal Recycling teams, coordinating leadership prioritization and partner engagement.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in technical project or program management, national laboratory engagement, government contracting, research administration, engineering management, or a related role.
• Experience managing complex, cross-functional technical projects involving external partners, contractual deliverables, budgets, schedules, and milestones.
• Experience developing scopes of work, work packages, project plans, reports, or other formal technical deliverables.
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physical science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate Legal, Procurement, Finance, technical teams, and leadership to establish and execute agreements.
• Strong project controls and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple agreements, deadlines, funding constraints, and stakeholder commitments concurrently.
• Experience identifying funding opportunities, developing project concepts or proposals, and building collaborative relationships with government and laboratory stakeholders.
• Comfort operating in a matrixed environment, influencing without direct authority, and working through ambiguity.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical, contractual, financial, and legal considerations clearly to different audiences.
• Experience collaborating with DOE national laboratories or DOE offices and programs, including DOE-NE, DOE-ID, DOE-OSO, ARPA-E, DOE-SC, DOE-OTT, or DOE-NNSA.
• Experience developing or administering Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), Strategic Partnership Projects, interagency agreements, grants, cooperative agreements, subcontracts, or similar mechanisms.
• Familiarity with government contracting, intellectual property, export control, data rights, compliance, and other legal considerations associated with research and development partnerships.
• Technical experience in nuclear energy, fuel cycle, chemical processing, advanced manufacturing, or another highly regulated engineering environment.

Skills

Required

• Technical project or program management
• National laboratory engagement
• Government contracting
• Research administration
• Engineering management
• Identifying funding opportunities
• Operating in a matrixed environment
• Influencing without direct authority
• Working through ambiguity

Benefits

• Salary: $120,000-$180,000
• Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, bonuses, competitive pay, 401(k), health insurance (with employer contribution), HSA, FSA, flexible work hours, wellness credits, and other benefits.