Senior Program Manager
2 days ago
Knoxville
Job Description Join us in our mission to commercialize fusion energy ⚡️ About Type One Energy Type One Energy Group is mission-driven to provide sustainable, affordable fusion power to the world. Established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, the company is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists with a strong track record of building state-of-the-art stellarator fusion machines, together with veteran business leaders experienced in scaling companies and commercializing energy technologies If you are searching for the best new ideas and share our vision, join us as a “Senior Program Manager”. This is what you need to know: Location: Knoxville, TN Salary: Highly Competitive Plus Benefits Contract: Permanent, full time Reporting to: VP Program Management The Senior Program Manager will serve as a key leader in developing, integrating, and executing the program management processes that support Type One Energy’s expanding portfolio of fusion technology initiatives. This role is responsible for building, maturing, and continuously improving project management frameworks across the organization—with particular emphasis on operating within a rigorous Earned Value Management (EVM) environment. The Senior Program Manager will drive the creation and maintenance of fully integrated cost, schedule, and technical baselines; ensure adherence to disciplined program controls; and implement consistent, high-quality reporting standards for executive and customer-level visibility. Functioning as a strategic leader across our Fusion Direct, Infinity1, and Infinity2 programs, the Senior Program Manager will coordinate complex cross-functional workstreams with engineering, manufacturing, procurement, finance, regulatory, and executive partners. This includes aligning program objectives with company-level milestones, ensuring interface points between subsystems and departments are clearly managed, and proactively identifying and resolving risks or conflicts that may impact cost, scope, or schedule. In addition to program leadership, this role will be responsible for managing and developing a team of Project Managers and supporting the growth of Type One Energy’s Program Management Office (PMO). Program Leadership & Governance * Provide strategic oversight of all major programs, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and execution readiness. * Lead the establishment of the Program Management Office (PMO) framework, standards, and best practices. * Partner with technical leadership to integrate program plans across systems engineering, R&D, regulatory, and operations teams. EVM & Baseline Management * Establish and manage integrated program baselines (scope, schedule, cost) consistent with EIA-748 EVM guidelines. * Oversee development of Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), cost accounts, integrated master schedules (IMS), and performance measurement baselines. * Implement EVM processes including monthly performance assessments, variance analysis, and corrective action planning. Program Execution & Reporting * Develop and implement standardized program reporting tools for cost, schedule, risk, and performance metrics. * Lead recurring program reviews with executive leadership, presenting status, risks, mitigation plans, and resource needs. * Drive cross-functional coordination to ensure timely completion of deliverables and resolve program-level conflicts. Process & Tool Development * Design, deploy, and maintain project management processes, templates, workflows, and quality gates. * Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of project management software systems, scheduling tools, and configuration controls. Team Leadership * Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Program and Project Managers. * Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and data-driven decision making. * Support career development, performance feedback, and training initiatives within the PM organization. What you’ll need: * Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, business, or related field; advanced degree preferred. * 10+ years of program/project management experience in complex engineering, R&D, aerospace, energy, or defense environments. * Demonstrated expertise implementing and managing Earned Value Management (EVM) systems. * Proven experience developing or managing integrated baselines and large, multi-disciplinary technical programs. * Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence across engineering, finance, and executive teams. * Mastery of project scheduling and cost control tools (e.g., Primavera P6, MS Project, Cobra, OpenPlan). * Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and executive reporting skills. Preferred * Experience scaling program management capabilities in a rapidly growing organization. * Familiarity with systems engineering (INCOSE), configuration management, and formal requirements processes. * Experience in energy systems, fusion, or advanced physics-based R&D environments. * PMP, PgMP, or EVMP certification. We offer: In addition to a basic salary and yearly bonus, you will also get… * Stock and share options ???? * Relocation allowance ???? * Insurance plans ???? * 401k retirement options ???? * And many more great voluntary benefits ???? Type One Energy applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics and high-field superconducting magnets to develop its optimized stellarator fusion energy system. Its FusionDirect development program pursues the lowest-risk, shortest-schedule path to a fusion power plant over the coming decade, using a partner-intensive and capital-efficient strategy. Type One Energy is committed to community engagement in the development and deployment of its clean energy technology. For more information, visit or follow us on LinkedIn. Equal Opportunity Statement Type One Energy is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity, searching for the best new ideas and remaining open to unique perspectives. Therefore, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment independent of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age, or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.