Operations Manager, Isotopes Supply Program

Are you looking for a role that will challenge you and allow you to make a real impact? Our Isotope Supply Program (ISP) team is seeking an Operations Manager to oversee safe, compliant, and efficient program operations. In this role, you’ll provide strategic and operational leadership across a multi‑disciplinary team while fostering strong collaboration with joint venture partners. If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, apply today!

What will you be doing!

• Operational Oversight & Compliance
  • Managing day‑to‑day ISP operations to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant performance.
  • Overseeing execution of operational procedures in alignment with industry regulations, site license conditions, and internal standards.
• Regulatory & Safety Assurance
  • Maintaining rigorous adherence to nuclear safety protocols, environmental regulations, and quality assurance programs.
  • Interfacing with regulatory bodies (e.g., CNSC, NRC, IAEA) during audits, inspections, and reporting activities.
• Team Leadership & Workforce Development
  • Leading, supervising, and developing a technically skilled team while promoting a strong nuclear safety culture and operational excellence.
  • Providing coaching, training, and performance management to maintain personnel qualifications, readiness, and succession planning.
• Resource & Budget Management
  • Developing and managing operational budgets, including forecasting, cost tracking, and optimizing labour and material resources.
  • Ensuring efficient deployment of human and technical resources to support outage planning, maintenance, and project work.
• Continuous Improvement & Risk Management
  • Leading initiatives to identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks using tools such as HuP, Root Cause Analysis, and CAP.
  • Driving continuous improvement through performance monitoring, lessons learned, and industry benchmarking.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
  • Collaborating with engineering, maintenance, radiation protection, training, and other support groups to coordinate operational priorities.
  • Communicating operational status, issues, and initiatives clearly to internal teams, senior leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned by your manager.
  

What we are looking for:

• Education
  • A relevant university degree or a technical college diploma, OR
  • A minimum of eight years of experience in the operation and maintenance of nuclear facilities.
• Experience
  • At minimum, 5 years of experience in a leadership role within an operations environment, or equivalent combination of skills, training and experience.
  • Experience in, and understanding of, facility operations, ideally in the nuclear industry and administration and/or leadership experience in operating facilities.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
  • Proven leadership with strong interpersonal skills, essential for managing a diverse and dynamic operations team within a fast-paced, evolving environment.
  • Demonstrated skills in building and maintaining effective relationships with clients, end users, support functions, and senior management.
  • Demonstrated proactive problem-solving abilities by anticipating issues, securing necessary resources, adapting work plans, and driving timely resolution to meet operational goals.
  • Strong team player who thrives in collaborative environments.
  • Ability to maintain focus on shared objectives while establishing positive working relationships with cross-functional teams and individuals from diverse professional backgrounds.
  • Solid business acumen and financial oversight skills, with the ability to develop, manage, and monitor departmental budgets to ensure alignment with financial targets and strategic priorities.
  • In-depth knowledge of facility and operational management practices, including compliance, maintenance, logistics, and efficiency improvements.
  • Highly organized, with strong planning and analytical capabilities to manage complex operational workflows, evaluate performance metrics, and implement process improvements.
  • Skilled in multitasking and managing competing priorities effectively. Delegates responsibilities appropriately to ensure timely and high-quality execution of tasks and projects.
  • A demonstrated commitment to safety and an understanding of how risk management principles should be applied to operational decisions.
  • Understanding of operations in the regulatory environment and the applicability of license programs.
  • A demonstrated mechanical aptitude and have a sound working knowledge of mechanical systems, process systems and basic operations instrumentation.
  • A working knowledge of the hazards associated with radioactive materials. Demonstrated knowledge of ALARA (As Low as Reasonably Achievable) principles, including hazardous work assessments and radiological work planning within an operating environment involving nuclear materials.
• Security Clearance Eligibility Required
  • Level 2 Secret requires a minimum of 7 years of verifiable history in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and/or the United Kingdom. CNL implements security screening in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's “Standard on Security Screening” and the “Policy on Government Security.”
    

Working Conditions:

• Working schedule: Five (5) days per week, seven and a half (7.5) hours per day for a thirty-seven and a half (37.5) hour work week.
• A mix of desk-based activities, and field presence as determined by need and schedule. There will be walking, and stair climbing within the facility. There is no expectation of heavy lifting or physical work outside of an emergency.
• Work is in a radiological environment and can involve exposure to low-level radiation or contamination. This may require a respirator to be worn; other Radiation Protective Equipment may be assigned (Tyvek Coveralls, cloth coveralls, booties, gloves, etc.)
• Work can be noisy when equipment is operating, so hearing protection is required.

Why CNL?

Does the idea of working with a dynamic team across Canada to advance nuclear science and technology for a clean and secure world excite you? At CNL, we’re reinventing ourselves to be industry leaders—pioneering solutions to the problems that matter most.

From building the next generation of clean nuclear and hydrogen energy technologies, to developing targeted cancer treatments, to continuing our global leadership in environmental remediation—we are driven by impact, innovation, and purpose.

What We Offer: A Total Rewards Package

We believe in taking care of our people. Here’s what you can expect as part of our team:

• Paid time off: vacation, sick, personal, and floater days
• Benefits effective Day One – no waiting period
• Tuition support to help you keep learning and growing
• A defined-benefit pension plan or a defined-contribution pension plan, depending on your employee group, to support your long‑term financial security

Do Our Priorities Resonate with You?

• Delivering clean energy for today and tomorrow
• Restoring and protecting the environment
• Contributing to the health of Canadians

If so, you’ll feel right at home at CNL!

Location: Onsite

Located in the heart of the Ottawa Valley, our Chalk River site offers a beautiful natural setting with forests, lakes, and wildlife, right at your doorstep. Surrounded by welcoming communities such as Deep River, Petawawa, and Pembroke, you’ll have access to unparalleled outdoor adventures and a fantastic work-life balance.

Please note: This is a fully on-site position based at our Chalk River Laboratory in Ontario.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

At CNL, we are committed to fostering an environment that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion. We celebrate and welcome employees, stakeholders, and partners of all backgrounds and identities. Click here to read all about it!

We are proud to uphold a workplace culture grounded in our Core Values:

• Respect
• Teamwork
• Accountability
• Safety
• Integrity
• Excellence

These values drive our employment practices and ensure meaningful career development opportunities and accommodations for all employees.

CNL is an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodation during any phase of the hiring process, please let us know via [email protected]. All requests will be handled with confidentiality.

CNL operates on sites located on the traditional lands, waterways and ceded and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples. CNL recognizes and affirms all First Nations, Métis communities and Inuit in this land we now know as Canada. We acknowledge, respect and seek to better understand Indigenous history, rights and title on the lands where we work and develop projects. We honour and respect the importance of the relationship between Indigenous peoples and their lands, waters and territories.