Nuclear and Radiological Security Section Head

Requisition Id 12375 

Overview:  

 

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

 

The National Security Sciences Directorate (NSSD) conducts research and development to confront some of the nation’s most difficult security challenges and adversaries. Our directorate houses S&T leadership in cybersecurity and cyber-physical resiliency, data analytics, geospatial science and technology, nuclear nonproliferation, and high-performance computing for sensitive national security missions. We draw on the Laboratory’s exceptional facilities and work closely with leading researchers in other areas at the lab such as nuclear and chemical sciences and engineering, applied materials, advanced manufacturing, biosecurity, transportation, and computing. Our multi-disciplinary research teams are passionate about discovery and innovation as we create science-based solutions to complex security threats that put public safety, national defense, energy infrastructure, and the economy at risk.

 

We are currently seeking qualified applicants to serve as Section Head for the Nuclear and Radiological Security (NRS) Section within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division. The NRS Section reduces threats and risks associated with handling, storing, transporting, and processing nuclear and radiological material globally. Staff members have internationally recognized expertise in physical protection concepts and strategies, security system requirements and regulations, security culture, and risk and vulnerability assessment processes. The section advances nuclear and radiological security worldwide by assessing, analyzing, and assisting in development of strong and sustainable security systems with partner countries.

 

Purpose:

The Section Head provides research and development (R&D) leadership to a thematic area of science and technology that integrates several thematically-aligned R&D groups consistent with ORNL's aspiration to be the world's premier R&D Institution and ORNL's science culture.

 

Our commitment to diversity: 

As we strive to become the world’s premier research institution in the sciences and technologies that underpin critical national security missions, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that highly values a diverse workforce.  We recognize that a breadth of perspectives, insights, and experiences are necessary to drive the level of innovation and discovery that is mission critical to national security sciences.  Our commitment extends beyond our workforce to the next generation of researchers with STEM education outreach that seeks to engage a diverse range of students.

 

This position is being posted in coordination with another Section Head posting of the same title, but which has more of a technical focus. We plan to hire one candidate to fill either this role or the other, not both.

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

Science and Technology Leadership:

• Work closely with the Division Director and Group Leaders within the section to develop a vision and implement a strategy to pursue world-leading science and technology (S&T) directions for the section. Demonstrate cross-functional team leadership.
• Work with section Group Leaders to establish, communicate, and measure critical metrics for success and impact. Benchmark against the best in the world.
• Provide leadership for the S&T delivered by the section staff, establishing vision and direction as well as opportunities for programmatic and S&T engagements internal and external to the section. 
• Engage programmatically and technically across the division, directorate, and laboratory to help sustain and grow ORNL impact in the areas of nuclear and radiological security and the broader field of nuclear nonproliferation.
• Initiate, lead and perform R&D programs and initiatives on an ongoing basis. 
• Actively contribute to shaping the division’s, directorate’s, and laboratory’s R&D plans and investments.
• Communicate funding/proposal opportunities to staff and support proposal development as appropriate (mentoring, proposal reviews, budget preparation, etc.).

 

Strategic People Le