Founded in 2002, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is a not-for-profit organization tasked with the safe, long-term management of Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste, in a manner that protects people and the environment for generations to come.
The NWMO has been guided for more than 20 years by a dedicated team of world-class scientists, engineers and Indigenous Knowledge Holders who are developing innovative and collaborative solutions for nuclear waste management. In 2024, the NWMO selected Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace as the hosts for the site for a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel.
This decision means our office and staff will, in the future, be relocating to Ignace, Ont., and the deep geological repository will be situated in the area of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace. Infrastructure planning and development are underway to support this transition and ensure that both the community and our employees are well served and supported, now and in the future.
Section Managers, Design Management and Technical Oversight
Two (2) Positions Available - Full-time
Position Location: Ignace, Ontario
Interim Location: 74 Victoria St, Toronto, Ontario
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Manager, Engineering Programs, The Section Manager is responsible for leading and motivating their respective teams of subject matter experts (SMEs) to provide design management and independent technical oversight for engineering projects implemented by the NWMO, including the Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for used nuclear fuel, the second DGR, the Center of Expertise, and any other activities. The Section Manager, Engineering Programs will lead their teams to accomplish tasks including maintenance of the design governance system, management of design requirements, management of design basis and licensing basis, management of configuration and engineering change control, independent technical reviews, codes and standards compliance, and management of technical programs. They will supervise staff and support the planning, implementation, and closeout of internal and external work programs and contracts. They will help develop strategies, work scopes and resourcing plans, and budgets to execute and achieve predefined performance measures.
The Section Manager, Engineering Programs will work closely with the Design & Construction Planning (DCP) teams to develop design management procedures, provide independent oversight of design work, and facilitate technical integration between the DCP team and other NWMO teams, including engineering, safety analysis, geoscience, operations, regulatory affairs and impact assessment, finance, procurement, communications, engagement, etc.
In addition, they will also support technical engagement and interactions with the public, indigenous communities, regulatory bodies, industry, and other stakeholders, as subject matter experts in their area of technical expertise.
Key Responsibilities:
General responsibilities:
- Actively promote and support a strong safety culture with staff and contractors, and ensure health, safety and environment requirements are met or exceeded as outlined in NWMO policies, procedures and standards.
- Supervision of technical staff.
- Assist the manager to establish business plans; define work scopes, deliverables, schedules, and cost estimates aligned with corporate objectives.
- Contribute to the implementation of internal work packages, including preparing and reviewing documents, addressing comments, hosting or participating workshops, etc. Lead in the preparation of critical documents and directly contribute to the writing, revision, review, and approval processes.
- Project and contract management oversight on multi-disciplinary engineering external contracts.
- Provide guidance to staff on the applicable quality requirements and procedures and ensure they are followed (non-conformance reports, lessons learned, and improvement suggestions).
- Compliance with regulatory requirements, adherence to applicable national and international codes & standards, best engineering practice, and meet NWMO’s quality assurance requirements.
- Provide SME technical information to regulatory authorities and other stakeholders
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary functions, to coordinate technical activities and provide subject matter expertise, supporting compliance of regulatory submissions with applicable requirements.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned
Responsibilities for Section Manager, Design Management:
- Manage work associated with the Conduct of Engineering and Design Management governance process, including updating procedures and instructions in accordance with established frameworks.
- Lead direct reports to work closely with the internal and external engineering teams on the development and maintenance of design requirements. Responsible for the lifecycle management of design requirements.
- Support the management design basis and licensing basis associated with all regulated nuclear engineering projects, including development, management, and modification of design basis information. Ensure modifications are managed using NWMO’s Engineering Change Control governance, escalating significant modifications for review and approval.
- Work with internal and external engineering teams to support the implementation of established configuration management and change control processes and tools. Provide technical guidance and training on applicable procedures.
Responsibilities for Section Manager, Design Oversight:
- Support the development of design oversight strategies for the NWMO’s design and engineering work, including oversight policies, procedures, instructions, and plans.
- Lead staff to provide independent technical reviews.
- Support the preparation of technical input and engineering advice for review and approval. Participate in technical correspondence with the design team and assist in tracking the implementation of engineering directions.
- Support the coordination of third-party reviews and external SME reviews, providing technical input and participating in review activities.
- Analyze and interpret the implications and impacts of revised or new regulatory and/or government policies, proposals, or requirements on existing Design Basis of projects.
- Maintain a list of codes and standards needed for each engineering project. Propose necessary training on codes and standards.
- Support and maintain established technical programs, such as the Safeguards Program and the Ageing Management Program, ensuring alignment with operational goals and applicable regulatory requirements.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or related technical field; or an equivalent level of education.
- Over 8-10 Years of experience in an engineering or science design/construction consulting project(s), nuclear facility operations, or other relevant technical project work, including minimum 3 years of relevant technical leadership or project management experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing direct reports and/or project team.
- Contract management of multi-year technical contracts for design development and manufacturing/construction management.
- Project management, including planning, resourcing, schedule tracking and risk management techniques, of mid-size to large engineering projects related to nuclear, mining, oil/gas, infrastructure, or aerospace sectors.
- Demonstratable strong technical writing skills.
- Strong professional presentation skills to present information to senior leadership and to respond to questions from regulatory officials, public officials, contractors, siting community members, the general public, and other stakeholders.
Other Requirements:
- Strong oral and written communication skills, interpersonal and leadership skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills and ability to influence others at all levels of the organization.
- Demonstrated ability to work within and lead a multi-disciplinary team.
- Self-directed learner who displays initiative, problem recognition, synthesis and problem-solving ability.
- Strong organizational skills with the competence to prioritize work in a multi-priority environment based on established deadlines.
- An understanding of both technical and social aspects of the NWMO’s projects.
- Highly motivated individual dedicated to excellence and teamwork collaboration.
Preferred Experience:
- Preferred engineering backgrounds: System/Process Engineering, Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Water Management/Engineering, Nuclear Operations.
- Registration as a Professional Engineer with Professional Engineers of Ontario (P.Eng.) is considered a strong asset.
- Experience in nuclear design and construction projects or nuclear facility operations is considered a strong asset.
- Advanced engineering degree is an asset.
- Experience working on federally designated and/or federally regulated projects is an asset.
- Experience working on mid-size to large-scale industrial construction projects (e.g., nuclear, oil/gas, mining, infrastructure, aerospace, etc.) is an asset.
- Experience working in controlled design development environment with Conduct of Engineering and Engineering Change Control Processes is an asset.
- Ability to adapt and apply existing best practices and industry standards to the NWMO context is an asset.
- Bilingualism (French and English, both spoken and written) is an asset.
Must be eligible to work in Canada and must be able to meet security clearance requirements.
NWMO currently operates in a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office (Tuesdays and Thursday being universal) and 2 days working from home.
Candidates residing in the Greater Toronto Area: Office Location – 74 Victoria St, Toronto, until their role is required to relocate.
We offer a competitive base salary, health care benefits and defined benefit pension plan.
The NWMO is committed to contributing to Reconciliation in all its work by co-creating a shared future built on rights, equity and well-being. As an employment equity employer, NWMO actively seeks Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities, women, people with disabilities, and additional diverse identities for our workforce. The NWMO will provide accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodation, please contact us.
We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage interested candidates to apply at their earliest convenience to ensure full consideration.
The NWMO is committed to a fair, transparent, and efficient recruitment process. While we sincerely appreciate every expression of interest, only those candidates selected to continue in the recruitment process will be contacted directly.
