Trident Submarine Maintenance & Availability SME Lead

Trident Submarine Maintenance & Availability Subject Matter Expert (Strategic Advisor Lead)

Company Overview KMS Solutions, LLC is a technical management / solutions company that specializes in engineering, analysis, and cyber security. Founded in 2005, KMS is a certified small business with nearly two decades of experience supporting the Department of Defense as well as many other departments and programs critical to our Nation’s security and well-being. KMS is a three-time winner of the USA Today Top Workplaces recognizing quality workplace cultures across the United States who put their employees first. Additionally, KMS has won multiple regional Top Workplaces awards and Culture Excellence Awards for Compensation & Benefits, Innovation, Leadership, Purpose & Values and Work-Life Flexibility.

Position Summary KMS Solutions, LLC is seeking a highly experienced, seasoned former U.S. Navy Officer to serve as a Trident Submarine Maintenance & Availability Subject Matter Expert (Strategic Advisor Lead). Located on-site at the Trident Refit Facility (TRF), this individual will serve as a senior technical advisor and strategic liaison supporting the In-Service Strategic Submarines Program Office (PMS 396). In this role, you will provide high-level operational foresight, engineering guidance, and availability execution oversight to ensure Trident Submarine (SSBN/SSGN) refit periods, dry dock availabilities, and depot-level maintenance baselines align with Director Submarine Programs (DSP), Submarine Type Commander (TYCOM), and fleet readiness objectives.

• This position will be advising Submarine Crews and TRF Personnel to successfully complete availabilities on time and at cost.
• The ideal candidate has experience as a Repair Officer (RO) / Production Manager Assistant (PMA) at a Trident Repair Facility, Naval Shipyard, or Submarine Tender.

Essential Functions Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• SME Guidance & Strategic Advisory:
• Serve as a senior subject matter expert (Strategic Advisor Lead) providing technical guidance, operational foresight, and strategic advisory services to support Trident Submarine (SSBN/SSGN) maintenance, refits, and availabilities.
• Advise SSBN command leadership, department heads, chief’s quarters, and maintenance personnel on effective maintenance planning, scheduling, and execution practices.
• Review shipboard maintenance plans to identify gaps, conflicts, resource constraints, and opportunities to improve material readiness.
• Mentor ship’s force personnel in maintenance planning fundamentals, including 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 an integrated maintenance plan that balances refit requirements, ship’s force capabilities, operational commitments, and available maintenance windows.
• Assist with the development or refinement of local maintenance planning processes, checklists, trackers, and standard operating procedures.
• TRF On-Site Maintenance Integration:
• Provide on-site technical expertise and oversight at the Trident Refit Facility (TRF), ensuring maintenance planning, refit availabilities, dry dock schedules, and depot-level maintenance cycles align with program office and fleet readiness objectives.
• Assist in integrating Trident Refit Facility planning products, work packages, production schedules, and maintenance requirements with ship’s force maintenance, testing and training plans.
• Facilitate coordination among ship’s force, Trident Refit Facility personnel, maintenance support activities, and other stakeholders to align maintenance priorities and execution timelines.
• Program Office & Fleet Liaison:
• Act as a key liaison between the Program Office (PMA / PMS 396), Submarine Type Commanders (TYCOMs), Trident Refit Facility leadership, Public Shipyards, and Naval Warfare Centers regarding availability execution and maintenance priorities.
• Liaison directly with CSG-9, CSS-17, CSS-19, TRF and ship’s commanding officer to provide assessments and recommendations on how to improve SSBN material management from the individual unit to force-wide level.
• Availability Planning, Execution & Risk Mitigation:
• Evaluate refit schedules, work packages, and maintenance baselines to identify operational risks, technical discrepancies, and long-lead material requirements prior to and during maintenance availabilities.
• Analyze recurring maintenance planning issues, deferred work, growth work, and execution shortfalls; recommend practical corrective actions.
• Ensure SSBN refit preparation and execution comply with the Trident Refit Manual. Provide feedback and recommendations to CSG-9 for revisions to the Trident Refit Manual to improve oversight and performance.
• Lessons Learned & Best Practices:
• Incorporate lessons learned from previous Ohio-class refits and availabilities into ongoing maintenance strategies and future Columbia-class transition planning.
• Review maintenance availability lessons learned and support trend analyses and improvement recommendations.
• Technical & Operational Reviews:
• Review and provide executive-level recommendations on technical documentation, engineering changes, Liaison Action Records (LARs), and technical guidance instructions impacting Trident Submarine maintenance.

Required Education and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s or Advanced Degree in Engineering, Operations Research, Business Administration, or a related technical field.
• Experience: 10 or more years of experience in engineering, science management, operational facility planning, or major defense infrastructure/acquisition programs.
• Navy Background: Significant background supporting U.S. Navy submarine programs, naval installations, or fleet support activities.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s or Advanced Degree in Engineering, Naval Architecture, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related technical field.
• Military & Leadership Experience: Prior commissioned officer in the United States Navy (e.g., Submarine Warfare Officer, Engineering Duty Officer) with extensive experience in submarine operations, maintenance, or program management.
• Domain Experience: 15 or more years of experience in U.S. Navy submarine maintenance, fleet operations, or program management, including direct experience with Program Manager Air/Afloat (PMA) or Program Management (PM) organizations.
• Facility & On-Site Experience: Demonstrated experience working within or interfacing directly with Trident Refit Facilities (TRF Kings Bay or TRF Bangor) and shipyard maintenance availabilities.

Competencies

• Executive Advisory & Client Interface: Outstanding client-facing and interpersonal skills with the proven ability to advise senior Navy civilian, military, and contractor leadership.
• Technical & Analytical Problem-Solving: Superior analytical capabilities to resolve complex technical, material, and scheduling bottlenecks during high-consequence submarine maintenance availabilities.
• Independent Execution & Initiative: High degree of self-direction, personal initiative, and reliability to operate autonomously at forward-deployed/shore installation locations.
• Communication & Briefing Abilities: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with expertise in drafting high-level technical briefs, executive correspondence, and white papers.

Additional Eligibility Requirements (if applicable)

• None

Work Authorization/Security Clearance Requirement

• This position requires the ability to obtain and/or maintain a DoD Security Clearance and required access to all 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.

Other Duties:

Please note this job posting is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• None

Work Environment:

• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and photocopiers.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms. Must be able to lift up to 20 lbs.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

The typical workday is eight hours in length. Some flexibility in hours is allowed, with concurrence from the supervisor. Attendance at mandatory meetings is required. Must be available during the core work hours as determined by the contract/location and must account for the required number of hours in a pay period to maintain Full-time status.

Telework:

• Telework may be allowed up to 20%.
• Subject to change based on business needs and customer requirements.
• Greater in-office presence will be required during the initial 6 months as the requirements of the role are being learned.

Travel:

• Ability to travel CONUS; potential to travel OCONUS.
• Travel up to 20% may be required.

Benefits and Additional Compensation:

KMS offers a competitive benefits packaging including medical, dental and vision insurances, flexible spending account, PTO, paid holidays, military leave, bereavement leave, 401k / retirement savings plan, professional development and tuition reimbursement, basic and voluntary life insurance / AD&D, short-term and long-term disability, voluntary AFLAC supplemental insurance products and employee assistance plan (EAP) program. Additionally, KMS offers employee referral bonuses and a discretionary annual bonus.

AAP/EEO Statement:

KMS Solutions is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and maintains an Affirmative Action Program. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other protected status under applicable federal, state, or local laws. Applicants or employees needing a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process should contact Human Resources. KMS Solutions is a drug free workplace.

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