Trident Submarine Maintenance & Availability SME Lead

KMS Solutions, LLC•Silverdale, WA

12d•$130,000 - $165,000•Hybrid

About The Position

KMS Solutions, LLC is seeking a highly experienced former U.S. Navy officer to serve as a Trident Submarine Maintenance & Availability Subject Matter Expert (Strategic Advisor Lead). The role is based on-site at the Trident Refit Facility (TRF) and serves as a senior technical advisor and strategic liaison supporting the In-Service Strategic Submarines Program Office (PMS 396). The position provides operational foresight, engineering guidance, and availability execution oversight to help ensure Trident Submarine (SSBN/SSGN) refit periods, dry dock availabilities, and depot-level maintenance baselines align with Director Submarine Programs, Submarine Type Commander, and fleet readiness objectives. The advisor supports submarine crews and TRF personnel in completing availabilities on time and at cost. The ideal candidate has served as a Repair Officer or Production Manager Assistant at a Trident Repair Facility, Naval Shipyard, or Submarine Tender. The position requires a bachelor's or advanced degree in engineering, operations research, business administration, or a related technical field, at least 10 years of relevant experience, and significant experience supporting U.S. Navy submarine programs, naval installations, or fleet support activities. Preferred qualifications include prior commissioned U.S. Navy officer service, 15 or more years in submarine maintenance, fleet operations, or program management, and direct TRF or shipyard availability experience. The typical workday is eight hours. Some schedule flexibility is allowed with supervisor concurrence; attendance at mandatory meetings is required, and the employee must be available during core hours and account for the required pay-period hours to maintain full-time status. Telework may be allowed up to 20%, subject to business and customer needs; greater in-office presence is required during the first six months. Travel up to 20% may be required, including potential overseas travel. The role requires the ability to obtain or maintain a DoD security clearance; security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. The job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment. The employee is regularly required to talk and hear, frequently to stand, walk, use and handle objects, and reach, and must be able to lift up to 20 pounds.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Engineering, Operations Research, Business Administration, or a related technical field.
At least 10 years of experience in engineering, science management, operational facility planning, or major defense infrastructure/acquisition programs.
Significant background supporting U.S. Navy submarine programs, naval installations, or fleet support activities.
Ability to obtain and/or maintain a DoD security clearance and required access to worksite locations; security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens.
Legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and throughout employment.
Outstanding client-facing and interpersonal skills, with ability to advise senior Navy civilian, military, and contractor leadership.
Superior analytical ability to resolve complex technical, material, and scheduling bottlenecks during submarine maintenance availabilities.
Self-direction, initiative, and reliability to work autonomously at forward-deployed or shore installation locations.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including drafting technical briefs, executive correspondence, and white papers.
Ability to travel within the continental United States and potentially overseas; travel up to 20% may be required.
Ability to lift up to 20 pounds and meet the stated physical demands of the role.

Nice To Haves

Prior commissioned U.S. Navy officer experience, such as Submarine Warfare Officer or Engineering Duty Officer, with extensive submarine operations, maintenance, or program management experience.
15 or more years of experience in U.S. Navy submarine maintenance, fleet operations, or program management, including direct experience with PMA or PM organizations.
Demonstrated experience working within or directly interfacing with TRF Kings Bay or TRF Bangor and shipyard maintenance availabilities.
Experience as a Repair Officer or Production Manager Assistant at a Trident Repair Facility, Naval Shipyard, or Submarine Tender.
Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Engineering, Naval Architecture, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related technical field.

Responsibilities

Provide technical guidance, operational foresight, and strategic advisory services for Trident Submarine maintenance, refits, and availabilities.
Advise SSBN command leadership, department heads, chief’s quarters, and maintenance personnel on maintenance planning, scheduling, and execution.
Review shipboard maintenance plans to identify gaps, conflicts, resource constraints, and opportunities to improve material readiness.
Mentor ship’s force personnel on work candidate development, package review, job sequencing, schedule management, and closeout documentation.
Provide continuity and institutional knowledge across refit cycles, turnover periods, and changes in ship’s force personnel.
Assist crews in developing and maintaining integrated maintenance plans that balance refit requirements, ship’s force capabilities, operational commitments, and maintenance windows.
Assist in developing or refining local maintenance planning processes, checklists, trackers, and standard operating procedures.
Provide on-site expertise and oversight at TRF, aligning maintenance planning, refit availabilities, dry dock schedules, and depot-level maintenance cycles with program office and fleet readiness objectives.
Integrate TRF planning products, work packages, production schedules, and maintenance requirements with ship’s force maintenance, testing, and training plans.
Coordinate ship’s force, TRF personnel, maintenance support activities, and other stakeholders to align priorities and execution timelines.
Liaise between PMS 396, TYCOMs, TRF leadership, public shipyards, and Naval Warfare Centers regarding availability execution and maintenance priorities.
Liaise with CSG-9, CSS-17, CSS-19, TRF, and ship commanding officers, providing assessments and recommendations to improve SSBN material management at unit and force-wide levels.
Evaluate refit schedules, work packages, and maintenance baselines to identify operational risks, technical discrepancies, and long-lead material requirements before and during availabilities.
Analyze recurring planning issues, deferred work, growth work, and execution shortfalls, and recommend corrective actions.
Ensure SSBN refit preparation and execution comply with the Trident Refit Manual, and provide CSG-9 feedback and recommendations for manual revisions.
Apply lessons learned from Ohio-class refits and availabilities to maintenance strategies and Columbia-class transition planning.
Review availability lessons learned and support trend analysis and improvement recommendations.
Review technical documentation, engineering changes, Liaison Action Records, and technical guidance instructions affecting Trident Submarine maintenance, and provide executive-level recommendations.