How to apply for Engineering Program Manager

About Oklo

Oklo is developing next-generation fast fission technology and recycling nuclear waste to provide clean, reliable, affordable energy. The company is building a fuel recycling facility, which makes this a chance to work on nuclear fuel recycling from the ground up.

About the role

This Engineering Program Manager role sits in Oklo's Recycling Division and supports the fuel recycling engineering team. You will turn complex engineering objectives into coordinated, evidence-based programs, working alongside a Team Lead who owns technical direction and people leadership. You define program structure, cadence, scope, milestones, and decision points so the team can deliver the facility.

A typical day

A typical day may include working with functional engineering groups to mature deliverables, updating the program cadence and milestones, and aligning with the Team Lead on technical direction. You might also review data that challenges the current plan and adjust scope or decision points. The exact daily routine is not specified, so ask about team structure and meeting cadence during interviews.

Who Oklo is looking for

• Technically fluent program leader who can discuss engineering and analysis work with functional teams without needing to be the technical owner.
• Experienced in defining program scope, deliverables, success criteria, decision points, and technical milestones tied to an integrated facility schedule.
• Able to influence without direct authority and adapt programs when empirical data challenges the design or analysis.
• Comfortable in a fast-moving, safety-conscious environment and willing to apply creative, out-of-the-box thinking to program problems.

Tips for this application

• Tailor your resume to show program management in an engineering or technical setting, especially where you defined milestones, decision points, and acceptance criteria.
• Use the exact phrase 'Engineering Program Manager' and reference Oklo's Recycling Division and fuel recycling facility in your materials.
• Provide concrete examples of translating functional requirements into executable engineering and analysis plans.
• Show evidence of influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority, since the role partners with a Team Lead rather than managing the team directly.
• Mention any experience with nuclear, energy, or regulated safety environments, and note if you have worked with integrated facility schedules.

What to cover in your cover letter

['How you establish program structure and operating cadence for engineering teams, especially when technical direction sits with someone else.', 'A specific example of turning complex engineering objectives into a coordinated, evidence-based program with clear milestones and decision points.', 'How you adapt a program when data challenges the original design or analysis, and how you keep urgency and discipline at the same time.', "Why Oklo's work on fast fission and nuclear waste recycling is a fit for your program management experience."]

Research before applying

• Oklo's fast fission technology and its approach to recycling nuclear waste, including public materials on the Recycling Division.
• The status and schedule of Oklo's fuel recycling facility, since the role ties to the integrated facility schedule.
• Oklo's safety culture and regulatory context for nuclear fuel recycling in the US.
• The difference between program management and people management at Oklo, so you can speak to how you would work with the Team Lead.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you define program scope, deliverables, success criteria, decision points, and technical milestones for an engineering team.
• A time you influenced a technical team without direct authority and how you handled resistance.
• How you translate established functional requirements into executable engineering and analysis plans.
• How you adapt a program when empirical data contradicts the current design or analysis.
• How you would partner with a Team Lead who owns technical direction and people leadership while you own program structure and cadence.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying with generic program management language that does not mention engineering, analysis plans, or technical milestones.
• Claiming you will own technical direction or manage the team, when the role partners with a Team Lead who owns those areas.
• Ignoring the safety-conscious and regulated nuclear context, or treating it like a standard software program role.