Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Director of Manufacturing Strategy to join our team.
Position Description
The Director of Manufacturing Strategy will define and continuously refine how Oklo converts ambitious product and deployment plans into an executable manufacturing system. Reporting to the Head of Supply Chain, this leader will integrate engineering judgment, supplier-market intelligence, commercial inputs, and strategic analysis to help Oklo achieve aggressive lead-time, cost, quality, and scalability goals.
During Oklo's first-of-a-kind (FOAK) build, the Director will work directly with Responsible Engineers and suppliers to develop and improve component-level manufacturing strategies, resolve industrialization challenges, and assess whether supplier processes can produce conforming hardware at the required rate. The role will translate these findings into company-wide make-vs-buy recommendations and manufacturing roadmaps.
This is a hybrid technical and commercial strategy role. It requires enough manufacturing depth to evaluate processes, tooling, qualification needs, quality controls, production constraints, and recovery plans, as well as enough commercial fluency to compare market options and support scenario modeling. The role partners closely with Engineering, Procurement, Strategy, Quality, Program Management, and Oklo's internal fabrication leadership.
This role develops the strategy for how Oklo will manufacture at scale; it does not establish, manage, or operate factories. When Oklo elects to make a product internally, execution transitions to the internal fabrication organization. Procurement retains ownership of supplier commercial strategy, sourcing, negotiations, and contracting.
Specific responsibilities may include:
Minimum Qualifications:
Bonus Qualifications:
Competencies
We are looking for a Director of Manufacturing Strategy who is:
Who you are:
A startup person: You aren't driven by titles or hierarchy, and prefer efficiency to excess process. You don't need or expect to have a lot of guidance but you enjoy working in a fast-paced team. If you prefer the culture and feel of a large organization, that is great, but you likely won’t enjoy working with us! There is plenty of important work and plenty of good opportunities with organizations like that. You value outcomes over hierarchy, move quickly with limited guidance, and use process only when it improves the work.
Motivated: You are self-motivated. You bring an enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking out. This isn’t about a fake or arbitrary “pieces of flair” mentality or lack of work-life balance! It is about being a part of the vision and feeling a part of reaching team goals. You bring energy, initiative, and a genuine commitment to team and company goals.
A team-player: Oklo genuinely is a team. We aren’t about taking credit for ourselves, and we aren’t about pushing blame to others. We do incredible things because we work as a team. You share ownership, give credit freely, and solve problems across organizational boundaries.
An excellent communicator: We need a person who is not only technically competent but also a clear and upbeat communicator.
Creative: Being creative means that when things fall outside clear scopes or processes or problems arise without clear solutions, you are able to identify it as well as invent ways to solve a problem or fill a need without micromanagement. The successful person in this job will not only be creative, but also enjoy being creative and solving open-ended problems which may change day-by-day. You enjoy open-ended problems, recognize when no standard path exists, and invent practical ways forward.
Detail-oriented: This focus is a big part of excellence, consistency, and quality. Excellent grammar and spelling matter for both good communication as well as the image of the company that we put forward. You understand that disciplined analysis, accurate assumptions, and clear documentation are essential to high-quality decisions.
About Oklo travel requirements:
This role is expected to travel approximately 25% of the time to supplier and manufacturing sites and to Oklo's headquarters, based on program and business needs. Remote employees are also expected to travel to headquarters or another designated location twice per quarter for team meetings, off-sites, and company events, as needed.
About Oklo compensation:
Salary: $170,000-$220,0000
Oklo offers competitive pay, equity, flexible time off, a 401(k), health insurance, a flexible spending account, flexible work hours, and other benefits. The complete compensation package will reflect the role's scope, the candidate's experience, and applicable market and location factors.
This position may involve access to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Only applicants who meet applicable eligibility requirements may be able to access certain controlled information.
About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale; establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes; and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.
#CHOP: Oklo’s Values
Collaboration: We go further, together. We bring diverse perspectives, listen actively, and build trust through transparency and respect. We work across disciplines, sharing ownership to turn complex challenges into shared successes.
Humility: We are team players who act for the good of the company and for the world. We are focused on our mission, not personal recognition.
Ownership: We take pride in what we do and how we do it. We are proactive in finding solutions and see tasks through to completion. We are committed to delivering on our promises to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
Pathfinding: We chart new ground where no path exists by approaching challenges with curiosity, courage, and creativity while navigating ambiguity.
Candidates should be aware that employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a drug screening, and employees may be subject to drug testing at any time in accordance with company policy and applicable laws.
Oklo is aware of recent recruitment fraud attempts targeting job seekers. Please be cautious of anyone claiming to represent Oklo who does not contact you from an official Oklo email address.
All legitimate communications from our recruiting team— including application updates, interview requests, and job offers — will come exclusively from an @oklo.com email. Oklo will never ask for sensitive personal information, payments, or account credentials during the hiring process.
If you receive suspicious outreach or have concerns about the authenticity of any communication claiming to be from Oklo, please contact us through the official channels listed on our website.
Want to know if this job is worth applying to?
Santa Clara, CA or Remote
Hybrid
