Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) employee Katharine 
Birkett has been selected to participate in the prestigious Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Nuclear  Weapons Management Orientation Course (NWMOC), an invaluable opportunity as the Savannah River  Site accelerates construction completion of the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility (SRPPF)  and establishment of the pit production mission to support U.S. nuclear deterrence. 

NWMOC is a well-known program within the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE). Entrance into the  program is highly competitive with only 24 participants accepted each year. Half those spots are  designated for SNL employees, while the remaining half are for other Department of Energy and  Department of War sites with a max of two participants per site.  

“I am looking forward to joining the 2027 Nuclear Weapons Management 
Orientation Course. The entirety of my career has been with the objective 
of working in the nuclear industry, now focused on the nuclear deterrence 
mission,” said Birkett, SRPPF Pit Technology – Pit Process Development  & Modeling Group Manager.

“This program offers an unparalleled  opportunity to deepen connections I am already building. Relationships  throughout the complex and understanding of each element’s contribution  to our collective deterrence mission is invaluable when leveraging each  other’s strengths and capabilities to achieve mission success.”  

NWMOC provides advanced nuclear weapon-related education and 
training to management, while offering professional networking 
opportunities with other participants from across the NSE. The 11-month 
course covers a variety of topics, from the history of nuclear weapons to 
nuclear deterrence systems.  

“We are proud of Katharine’s service to the nation through participation 
in NWMOC. Her technical expertise will represent SRS well within this 
key NSE program,” said Lee Sims, SRNS Senior Vice President, Plutonium Operations and Programs. 
“Leveraging strong relationships with other NSE partners ensures SRS’ ability to maintain a credible, 
resilient and responsive nuclear deterrent and urgently deliver these collective national security 
missions.“