Director of Supply Chain Management

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 “Director of Supply Chain Management”. This is what you need to know:

Location: Knoxville, TN

Salary: Highly Competitive Plus Benefits

Contract: Permanent, full time

Reporting to: Chief Operations Officer

Your role in the mission:

The Director of Supply Chain Management plays a pivotal role in enabling the successful execution of Type One Energy’s commercialization program. This leader will oversee end-to-end supply chain strategy, procurement execution, vendor development, and risk management to ensure timely delivery of critical components across multiple complex programs.

Reporting directly to the COO, this role acts as a strategic partner to Program Management, Engineering, Finance, and Quality to build a robust, agile supply chain capable of supporting Type One Energy’s ambitious project timelines.

Procurement Planning & Execution

• Develop and execute procurement strategies for long-lead and critical components, ensuring alignment with technical and programmatic requirements.
• Manage requisition tracking, vendor engagement, and contract execution to maintain cost, schedule, and quality objectives.
• Establish procurement procedures in line with internal quality assurance standards and regulatory requirements.
• Forecast and manage material requirements to support design, build, and test phases of major programs.

Program Alignment & Milestone Tracking

• Ensure supply chain activities are integrated into program work breakdown structures (WBS) and milestone schedules.
• Support program managers with regular procurement status updates, contributing to PMR decks and program reviews.
• Collaborate with PBS owners to ensure supply chain execution aligns with design and funding profiles.

Vendor Development & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with suppliers, focusing on critical systems such as magnets and long-lead components.
• Oversee supplier qualification, performance monitoring, and issue resolution to ensure consistent delivery.
• Drive supplier innovation and capability development to meet program requirements and future scaling.

Risk Identification & Mitigation

• Actively participate in risk register reviews and contribute to developing mitigation strategies for supply chain-related risks.
• Address challenges related to component maturity, incomplete requirements, and schedule dependencies.
• Implement contingency planning and alternative sourcing strategies to ensure supply resilience.

Strategic Integration with Commercialization Program

• Execute procurement plans aligned with the Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) and FusionDirect WBS framework.
• Work closely with Program Managers, Engineering Leads, and Finance to ensure procurement strategies support program deliverables, technical maturity, and budget adherence.
• Support design maturation cycles and iterative build-test phases to enable rapid development and deployment.

Organizational Visibility & Leadership

• Serve as a key member of the leadership team, contributing to cross-functional strategic planning and organizational scaling.
• Participate in staff meetings, program reviews, and leadership discussions to provide supply chain insights.
• Support headcount planning, onboarding strategies, KPI development, and operational reporting.
• Establish and lead a high-performing supply chain organization, including procurement, logistics, and supplier quality functions.

What you’ll need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in supply chain or procurement roles, including leadership of complex, high-value programs.
• Proven experience in long-lead procurement, vendor negotiations, and supply chain risk mitigation.
• Strong knowledge of integrated program planning and milestone-based execution.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred:

• Advanced degree (MBA, MS, or equivalent).
• Experience in high-technology industries such as energy, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, or defense.
• Familiarity with regulated environments and quality management systems.
• Background working in matrixed organizations and complex development programs

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 www.typeoneenergy.com 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.