Director of Federal Affairs

Position Description:

This role will play a pivotal role in building, supporting, and maintaining relationships with government agencies, industry groups, trade associations, and key stakeholders. This position will drive Oklo’s policy agenda and support strategic initiatives to advance the company’s leadership in the clean energy sector. You’ll advocate for Oklo and share external perspectives that will inform our perception and direction.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Develop and implement strategies to support Oklo’s external affairs and public policy objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, government agencies, industry groups, trade associations, and other industry stakeholders. 
• Monitor and analyze legislative, regulatory, and policy developments impacting the energy sector and Oklo’s operations.
• Represent Oklo in trade association meetings, industry coalitions, and policy forums.
• Advocate for policies and regulatory frameworks that advance clean energy innovation and Oklo’s strategic goals.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams (e.g., Communications, Engineering, and Operations) to align messaging and strategic initiatives.
• Prepare policy briefs, presentations, and reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop communication materials to support Oklo’s government relations and public policy efforts.

Competencies:

We are looking for someone that is:

• Personable: enjoy meeting and interacting with people across the country
• High Energy: ability to work on multiple projects under tight time frames with a positive attitude
• Analytical and Strategic: the individual synthesizes complex or diverse information to create strategy, and is thoughtful about tradeoffs and value-add engagements
• Problem solving: Ability to navigate challenges, identify solutions, and drive results.
• An engaging speaker: the individual speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations, demonstrates group presentation skills, and conducts productive meetings. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to convey complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Relationship Management: Proven skills in building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders across government, industry, and community.
• Policy Analysis: Expertise in evaluating legislation, regulations, and policy trends to assess impacts on organizational objectives.

Key characteristics for an Oklo team member:

• Passionate about clean energy
• Passionate about making advanced fission a reality
• Willing and able to learn quickly
• Willing to think differently and do things in new ways
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, highly-iterative startup environment
• Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflectively about the problems they are solving while not leaning only on what has been done before

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Business, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in government relations, public policy, or external affairs, preferably within the energy or technology sectors.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with federal, state, and/or local governments.
• Strong understanding of energy policy, regulatory frameworks, and the legislative process.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to synthesize complex policy issues and articulate clear recommendations.
• Experience working with trade associations, coalitions, and industry stakeholders is a plus.
• Passion for clean energy, sustainability, and innovation.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Fast growth startup or public company experience
• Experience commercializing First of a Kind (FOAK) technologies

Who you are:

A startup person: You aren't driven by titles or hierarchy, and prefer efficiency to excess process. You don't need or expect to have a lot of guidance but you enjoy working in a fast-paced team. If you prefer the culture and feel of a large organization, that is great, but you likely won’t enjoy working with us!

Motivated: You are self-motivated. You bring an enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking out. This isn’t about a lack of work-life balance or an unsustainable hustle culture either. It is about being a part of the vision and feeling a part of reaching team goals.

A team-player: Oklo genuinely is a team. We aren’t about taking credit for ourselves, and we aren’t about pushing blame to others. We do incredible things because we work as a team.

An excellent communicator: We need a person who is not only technically competent but also a clear and upbeat communicator.

Creative: Being creative means that when things fall outside clear scopes or processes or problems arise without clear solutions, you are able to identify it as well as invent ways to solve a problem or fill a need without micromanagement. The successful person in this job will not only be creative, but also enjoy being creative and solving open-ended problems which may change day-by-day.

Detail-oriented: This focus is a big part of excellence, consistency, and quality.

About Oklo compensation:

Salary: $170,000 - $200,000

Salary may fall outside of the range provided and will be dependent on applicant experience.

Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, competitive pay, 401k, health insurance, FSA, flexible work hours, and other benefits.

About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale; establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes; and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.