Vice President of Production

Radiant is seeking a VP of Production to build and lead the organization and infrastructure necessary to produce Kaleidos microreactors  will build production systems and teams from the ground up to adhere to nuclear quality processes and produce approximately one reactor per week.

* Must be willing to relocate to Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 2027.

This is a unique opportunity to shape production for an entirely new category of nuclear product. The ideal candidate has implemented a production facility and team from scratch for complex, low-volume hardware and can balance production discipline with engineering adaptability as designs continue to evolve.

• Build the production organization from the ground up, including recruiting and developing production engineers, technicians, quality inspectors, and management.
• Design and implement production processes, tooling, fixtures, and workflows optimized for low-volume, high-reliability manufacturing.
• Maintain adherence to quality and compliance standards
• Apply lean manufacturing principles adapted for high-mix, low-volume production to reduce cost, improve quality, and increase throughput.
• Partner closely with design engineering to incorporate design changes, drive design-for-manufacturability, and manage the transition from development to production.
• Own production scheduling, capacity planning, and delivery commitments to meet customer requirements.
• Identify and develop supplier relationships for component sourcing and fabrication.
• Plan and execute capital equipment, facility, and layout investments to meet production requirements.
• Design production systems and develop the team to support significant production increases as demand grows.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in mechanical, manufacturing, industrial engineering, or related discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in manufacturing or production, including 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience building production systems from scratch in a rapidly scaling hardtech environment— aerospace, defense, space, or similar.
• Background in high-reliability, low-volume manufacturing with complex hardware.
• Deep expertise in quality management systems and regulatory compliance (AS9100, ISO 9001, FDA QSR, or nuclear quality standards).
• Proven track record applying lean manufacturing and continuous improvement in complex production environments.
• Technical depth to engage substantively with engineering teams on design and process decisions.

• Master's degree in engineering, manufacturing, or related discipline.
• Production leadership experience at a rapidly scaling hardtech startup in the space, defense, or aerospace sectors.
• Experience with NQA-1 nuclear quality standards.
• Experience with MES, PLM, and ERP systems in production environments.
• Experience managing production for products with evolving designs and engineering change orders.
• APICS certification, Six Sigma Black Belt, or similar credentials.

• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as necessary to accomplish our mission.
• Must work 100% onsite at El Segundo HQ until move to Tennessee.