Project Manager - HFIR Beryllium Reflector Replacement (HBRR)
Oak Ridge National LaboratoryAbout the role
Requisition Id 16148
Overview:
Would you like to have a lasting and significant impact on a key user facility in the nation’s scientific infrastructure and strengthen U.S. scientific competitiveness? The Neutron Upgrades Project Office (NUPO) at ORNL is seeking a talented and enthusiastic Project Manager to spearhead the planning and execution of the Beryllium Reflector Replacement project at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), a premier source of neutrons for the U.S. scientific community.
HFIR provides one of the highest steady-state neutron fluxes of any research reactor in the world. The thermal and cold neutrons produced by HFIR are used for research into the fundamental properties of materials, including biological and engineered materials, enabling researchers to make scientific discoveries and address some of the biggest challenges facing society today, such as the clean energy transition. ORNL is preparing to replace HFIR’s permanent beryllium reflector, along with other key reactor core components, to sustain and enhance HFIR’s operational performance. In conjunction with redesigning the cold neutron guide network, plans are under way to extend HFIR’s cold guide hall by more than 5,500 square feet. The cold guide hall features instruments that use cold neutrons with lower energies to unlock information about complex soft matter, such as proteins and polymers, and analyze materials with magnetic properties. Extending this guide hall will allow for reconfiguring and optimizing the facility’s cold neutron instruments to significantly improve their performance, develop new capabilities, and provide space to build new instruments. This exciting project will enable the HFIR to provide the Office of Science neutron scattering, isotopes production, materials irradiation, and other scientific missions essential to our national interests well into the future.
Major Duties/Responsibilities:
- Lead HBRR project planning and execution, including scope, schedule, budget, and configuration control.
- Serve as the primary project lead for conceptual design, acquisition strategy, contractor selection, engineering, construction, and commissioning, reporting to the HFIR Upgrades Project Office Director.
- Assemble and direct a multidisciplinary integrated project team to deliver project objectives on schedule, within budget, and within scope.
- Coordinate with Research Reactors Division, Neutron Scattering Division, and Neutron Technologies Division to support execution of the HFIR Beryllium Outage planned for 2029–2031.
- Oversee project controls, including work breakdown structure, cost estimating, actual costs, risk management, earned value reporting, and baseline change control.
- Establish and maintain project management policies, procedures, standards, training, and documentation aligned with DOE, ORNL, and UT-Battelle requirements.
- Lead stakeholder engagement and project reporting with DOE, engineering and construction partners, support contractors, leadership, and collaborators.
- Lead project reviews, prepare baseline change recommendations, represent the project at reviews and technical forums, and serve as acting HBRR Project Director when designated.
- Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.
Basic Qualifications:
- A BS/BA in science or engineering or other related field, with at least 12 years of experience including a minimum of 5 years working in a technical project management role.
- Previous leadership experience in a senior management capacity within a complex engineering environment, preferably on a large project.
- Must have demonstrated experience managing diverse, high performing teams.
- Must have strong communications skills, with the ability to successfully interact with DOE, project reviewers, senior laboratory management, and senior project staff members.
- Must be well versed in construction, operations, R&D, and business systems to assure project scope is accomplished, schedules are met, and work is completed within budget.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Operating nuclear reactor management experience in Engineering or Operations.
- Master’s or Doctorate degree in science
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