Argonne National Laboratory is seeking a Deputy Laboratory Director / Chief Operations Officer (COO) who is an innovative, strategic leader and will serve as a key member of ANL’s Leadership Team.

The COO will join ANL to advance an already strong reputation of operational excellence and to achieve the Lab’s goals for growth, modernization, and innovation. The COO will provide the intellectual leadership necessary to establish, implement, and deliver an integrated set of high-quality laboratory operations to ANL’s organizations. In close partnership with senior leadership across the Laboratory, the COO will provide continuous improvement of mission service from a responsiveness, quality, compliance, and cost perspective, as well as foster ANL’s culture and development of world-class talent in support the research enterprise. As a member of the Laboratory`s policy-making bodies, the COO will also establish the policies and processes under which these support organizations operate.

The COO plays an integral role in maintaining and advancing Argonne’s position as a premier national laboratory by optimizing laboratory operations, infrastructure, and safety. In addition, with the upgrades to key user facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source and Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, as well the impact resulting from a wide range of major research initiatives such as autonomous discovery, clean energy and quantum information, the COO will play a critical role in collaborating with Argonne’s S&T leadership in the planning of the next phase of Argonne’s science mission.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and drive the strategies and actions to enable efficient, effective, and safe operations at Argonne National Lab (ANL).
• Partner with Lab Leadership, including ANL Lab Director and peer Deputy Lab Director, to optimize Lab goals and outcomes.
• Serve as Acting Lab Director when the Lab Director is away from the Lab.
• Partner with Associate Laboratory Directors and Laboratory leadership to develop a refined strategy for scientific innovation and protecting the assets of UChicago-Argonne, LLC and DOE.
• Partner with leaders across the Laboratory to continuously improve the services that enable Argonne’s world-leading science, technology, and engineering.
• Advance strategies to retain and recruit top talent that ensures professional growth and mission continuity.
• Foster a Lab culture that embraces and celebrates diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.
• Optimize technical expertise and management skills to drive change, streamline operations, and build high-performing teams in support of the Lab’s multidisciplinary science and engineering research center.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with the DOE and key stakeholders, including the University of Chicago and Board of Governors.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships across Argonne, leaning on strong management skills as well as leading through influence to effect change.
• As a key member of the Argonne Project Oversight Council and in partnership with ANL scientific facilities, help navigate and manage complex construction upgrades of key facilities including the Advanced Photon Source and Argonne Leadership Computing Facility.
• Lead the coordination and advancement of risk management plans across Lab operations.
• Develop and recruit a team of managers who understand the UChicago-Argonne, LLC laboratory operations and who can operate it with distinction.
• Develop the annual laboratory operations budget for the Lab Director`s approval that efficiently and effectively delivers the services that are needed for and aligned with the ANL mission.
• Assure that laboratory operations are well integrated.
• Directs and oversees activities of the operational organizations in accordance with policies and directives and to advance strategic priorities and objectives.
• Review and approve critical lab-level mission policies, standards and procedures to assure they will achieve their intended outcome in the most cost and time effective manner.
• Approve high-dollar contracts; participates in the resolution of Laboratory litigation.

Position Requirements

• Comprehensive management experience including strategy development, human resources management and personnel development, and budgetary management.
• Ability to adapt to evolving environments and shifting priorities impacted by financial, regulatory, social, and other factors.
• Knowledge of Department of Energy systems and regulations is a plus.
• Excellent communication skills as demonstrated by ability to engage stakeholders and workforce and resolve and bring conflicts to a positive conclusion.
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining productive internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• Operational logic and program management skills.
• Knowledge and experience among the functions and areas of responsibility including computing and information systems, legal, financial management, facilities management, technology, security, human resources, employee safety and environment and health and wellness.
• First-hand experience and appreciation of the national laboratory complex is a plus.
• Experience in complex, highly regulated industry settings.
• Experience modernizing complex organizations is a plus.
• Experience optimizing safety and compliance in highly regulated environments. 
• Strong understanding of financial planning and ability to align operational finances with Argonne’s mission.
• Ability to build and foster an inclusive culture of collaboration across the Lab.
• Experience incorporating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility initiatives in organizations.
• Undergraduate degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a "Q" clearance highly preferred.

Job Family

Job Profile

Worker Type

Time Type