Research Operations Director - BioEnergy Science and Technology Directorate

Company: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Location: Golden
Posted on: March 20, 2023

Job Description:

Posting TitleResearch Operations Director - BioEnergy Science and Technology Directorate.LocationCO - Golden.Position TypeRegular.Hours Per Week40.COVID-19 Safety ProtocolsEmployment at NREL is contingent upon your compliance with all NREL and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) safety protocols and mitigation efforts directed at the COVID-19 pandemic.Working at NRELThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.From day one at NREL, you'll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you'll have the opportunity to engage through our eight employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL's critical objectives, and Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.Job DescriptionNREL is seeking a Center Director to provide leadership, technical direction, strategic guidance, planning, and overall management for the Research Operations Center within the BioEnergy Science and Technology (BEST) Directorate (). The BEST Research Operations Director serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the BEST Directorate, reports directly to the BEST associate laboratory director, and is a key member of the BEST Leadership Team.The primary responsibility for this position is to ensure safe, efficient, secure, and productive operations of all BEST research laboratories and facilities. Working collaboratively with NREL Laboratory operations as well as BEST leadership and staff, the BEST Research Operations Center Director will be responsible for all the directorate's R&D operations, including integrated safety management, maintenance of the safety envelope for all BEST buildings, work planning and control, infrastructure and space planning, facility and laboratory upgrades, capital equipment and fiscal management, and the design and development of new laboratories. The BEST Research Operations Center Director is also responsible for instilling a safety culture in a productive R&D environment as well as providing leadership, management, and professional development for all staff in the BEST Research Operations Center. -The BEST Directorate is comprised of three R&D Centers in addition to the Research Operations Center: BioSciences, Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-up, and Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences. - It carries out fundamental and applied experimental and computational research in renewable energy and energy efficiency with a focus on advancing technologies for fuels and products that utilize biomass, carbon dioxide, plastics and other waste streams in support of a circular and decarbonized energy economy. We build bridges from molecular-scale discoveries to scale-up and demonstration of alternative fuels and products with a research portfolio that utilizes biology, chemical and electrochemical catalysis, process engineering, computational modeling and analytical sciences.PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for operations, management, and oversight of the facilities within the directorate.
• In collaboration with the associate laboratory director, center directors, researchers, business partners, assists with laboratory annual strategic planning and execution for operational support of research, programmatic, and business development goals.
• Creates a collaborative environment to advance short- and long-range operational goals.
• Leads planning for capital equipment, infrastructure and space, design and development of new laboratories.
• Project management of maintenance and facility expansion projects.
• Maintains safe and environmentally responsible operations across the directorate.
• Actively participates in the Laboratory Research Operations Council, the Research Operations Director Council, and the Battelle Community of Practice Council to support the development and implementation of laboratory-wide operational policies, procedures, and practices.
• Provides creative solutions to balance a diverse group of stakeholder needs, enabling compliance, safety, and research productivity.
• Oversees capability development and stewardship of staff and associated facilities and equipment.
• Advances diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Specific research operations responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
  • Research and operations infrastructure development, capability readiness, laboratory utilization and readiness, and the facility safety envelope and focus.
  • Serving as the integration point for maintenance; engineering; projects; environment, safety, health, and quality (ESH&Q); and other resources required to best support the research mission and maintain the facility.
  • Daily operations oversight in collaboration with the center directors.
  • Working across the specific needs of the directorate to ensure that management reporting, safety, information flow, and business processes are on track for success.
  • Supporting line management in understanding laboratory safety baselines, risk management, and configuration management.
  • Creating and maintaining a trusting and collaborative environment between research staff; research operations managers; environment, safety, and health (ES&H) staff; and site operations facility managers.
  • Supporting management and optimization of laboratory space utilization.
  • Coordinating capital equipment and facility modification funding requests.NREL center directors oversee a broad range of activities with the support of a world-class management team and technical experts. While the list of responsibilities and skills for this position is broad, we encourage all qualified candidates to apply, including those who may not meet 100 percent of the requirements..Basic QualificationsBachelor's Degree and 10-years' experience in technically related research discipline; Or, Master's Degree and 9-years' experience in technically related research discipline; Or, PhD and 7-years' experience in technically related research discipline. At least 6 years of management, budget, administrative, program strategy development and implementation experience required..Additional Required Qualifications
    • Record of progressively more complex assignments and applications, including management or technical leadership experience in an R&D environment.
    • Demonstrated success in supporting research operations for a complex R&D organization with interorganizational and industry-driven partnerships.
    • Demonstrated ability to manage, empower, and motivate technical staff.
    • Demonstrated ability to plan and manage budgets and people.
    • Strong interpersonal, communication, organizational, and presentation skills, including conveying hard truths in an empathetic way.
    • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
    • Significant technical expertise in technologies of interest to the directorate.
    • Knowledge of DOE and other government programs, in particular the Office of Science (SC) and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
    • Working knowledge of science and technologies for renewable energy and energy efficiency.
    • Knowledge of laboratory operations and DOE policies and procedures.
    • Comprehensive experience in establishing an independent maturity level safety culture that demonstrates skillful rigor in work planning and control, change management, risk management, integrated safety management, safety audits, quality management, QRA, FMEA, safety checklists, incident response reviews, after action reviews, electrical safety, learning optimization, waste management, handling and storage, and related efforts.
    • Solves variety of multi-dimensional problems in absence of guidelines or precedents.
    • Builds effective teams; creates strong morale and spirit; shares wins and successes.
    • Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and direct personnel with diverse skills, work styles and values, both directly and through subordinate management.Preferred Qualifications.Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: Center Director I / Annual Salary Range: $160,900 - $289,600NREL takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, as well as the position's work location, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.* Based on eligibility rulesSubmission GuidelinesPlease note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application..EEO PolicyNREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws. - - E-Verify -For information about right to work, click for English or for Spanish.E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce. -

Keywords: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Denver , Research Operations Director - BioEnergy Science and Technology Directorate, Executive , Golden, Colorado