ALD, Energy & Applied Science & Technology

JDG Associates, Ltd.; United States; On-site; USD 260,000 - 390,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision plans

Retirement with 401(k) contribution

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) seeks an Associate Laboratory Director, Energy and Applied Science & Technology (ALD, EAST) to lead EAST, including SRF Institute, Cryogenic Tech, and Detector Tech. The role focuses on strategic growth, sponsor engagement, and delivering advanced nuclear physics technologies.

Reporting to the Deputy Lab Director, you will cultivate sponsor relationships, drive program growth across DOE and other sponsors, and manage a leadership

Qualifications

• 20+ years of international recognition and accomplishments in the field.
• 5+ years of executive management in large, multidisciplinary research programs.
• Experience developing and executing scientific strategy with critical stakeholders.
• Strong communication with sponsors, internal staff, and partners.
• Proven ability to lead complex technical scope and multi-priority environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a strategy aligned with Jefferson Lab’s multi-program vision for EAST.
• Build sponsor relationships across BES, NE, DoD, NNSA, NASA, and industry.
• Lead EAST leadership through org-wide talent strategies and succession planning.
• Oversee CEBAF Facility commitments by leveraging EAST capabilities.
• Provide EAST perspectives on Lab decisions and governance.
• Recruit and develop S&T staff to future leadership roles.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Financial analysis

Project management

Education

Ph.D. in a scientific discipline

Job description

Client

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory located in southeastern Virginia, dedicated to solving some of the most challenging scientific and engineering problems in nuclear physics and applied science and technology. Jefferson Lab is entering an exciting period of mission growth and is managed and operated by SURATech, LLC, a partnership between the Southeast Universities Research Association (SURA) and Virginia Tech. At Jefferson Lab, staff champion cutting-edge science and operational excellence while shaping the future of discovery, working alongside top scientists and engineers from around the world unlocking the secrets of the visible universe. To learn more, view www.jlab.org.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Deputy Lab Director for Science and Technology / Chief Research Officer and serving as a member of the Lab's Tier 1 leadership team, the Associate Laboratory Director, Energy and Applied Science & Technology (ALD, EAST) provides strategic and operational leadership for Jefferson Lab's EAST Directorate, including the Institute for Superconducting Radiofrequency Science and Technology (SRF Institute), Cryogenic Technologies, Detector Technologies, and Engineering. This role is responsible for advancing key nuclear physics technologies while positioning the Lab for future mission growth across DOE and other sponsors. The ALD, EAST ensures delivery of engineering and technology capabilities that enable major projects and support the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) user facility, while expanding into new program areas across the DOE Office of Science Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Nuclear Energy (NE), DoD, NNSA, NASA, and industry. Through strong technical leadership and partnerships, this position drives innovation, strengthens core competencies, and ensures the Lab remains a leader in applied science and mission-critical technologies. This is fundamentally an outward-facing, business-development-driven role with day-to-day management of the existing organization expected to be delegated to a capable leadership team, freeing the ALD to focus on cultivating sponsor relationships and translating them into new programs.

Key Duties

• Develop and implement a strategy aligned with the Jefferson Lab multi-program vision by expanding and enhancing the EAST capabilities through advanced scientific and engineering excellence and impact.


• Develop and maintain strong and respectful relationships with new and expanding sponsors in support of the Lab’s multi-program vision, including BES, NE, DoD, NNSA, and NASA.


• Serve as a member of the Directorate, sharing responsibility for excellence in science and technology, operational excellence, and community engagement at the Lab.


• Support the CEBAF Facility in annual operational commitments through EAST capabilities.


• Lead division-wide talent strategies by championing leadership development, robust succession planning, and continuous performance coaching.


• Advance crosscutting Lab initiatives that combine unique capabilities across the Lab to accelerate Lab-wide scientific impact.


• Work with the Directorate and Lab Director's Office to identify and implement other Lab research priorities, including strategic use of Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD).


• Create and nurture an environment that promotes a multi-faceted workforce and champions the Lab’s values of impact, teamwork, safety, integrity, and service.


• Provide EAST perspectives on Lab-level decisions and key Lab committees.


• Lead self-assessments, planning, and tracking for EAST elements associated with the Lab Agenda, Annual Lab Plan, and other performance tools.


• Review corrective actions that have Lab-wide impacts, with particular emphasis on those documented and managed by tracking systems external to the Lab.


• Perform line management of the EAST capabilities leadership, including Detector Development, Engineering Division, Center for Advanced Studies of Accelerators (CASA Institute), and SRF Institute, through both direct reports and matrixed staff.


• Identify key organizational staffing needs and recruit and develop S&T staff to be future leaders and mentors.

Qualifications

• 20 or more years of international recognition and demonstrated accomplishments in the field; candidates with 15 or more years may also be considered if they bring broad experience and a strong, credible vision for the organization's growth.


• 5 or more years of demonstrated executive management experience, including developing and leading large, complex, multidisciplinary research programs and/or user facilities. Candidates should be comfortable managing an organization in the hundreds of staff (EAST currently totals approximately 225 staff with 14 direct reports and is expected to grow toward 300-400 staff); candidates who have led a smaller organization may be considered if they bring a credible vision for scaling quickly.


• Demonstrated experience successfully developing, implementing, and executing scientific strategy with engagement from critical stakeholders.


• Experience communicating with key stakeholders, clients, program sponsors, internal staff, and the security/intelligence community.


• Track record of growing programs across a broad sponsor base highly preferred.


• Ability to lead and manage complex technical scope, establish priorities, assess competing resource demands, and make decisions that optimize performance.


• Strong familiarity with DOE.


• Strong analytical, writing, and speaking skills, with the ability to organize, analyze, and implement complex topics and initiatives with attention to detail.


• Capable of handling multiple competing priorities in a complex R&D environment.


• Proven commitment to safety and integrity.


• Proficiency in financial analysis and forecasting.

Education

Ph.D. in a scientific discipline required.

Location

Newport News, Virginia (on-site position with 5 days in the office)

Travel

Approximately 30% travel to DOE headquarters, sponsor agencies (DoD, NNSA, NASA), and other national labs is expected.

Citizenship

U.S. citizenship is highly preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range is $260,104 to $390,156 per year. Compensation may vary based on a candidate's skills, experience, education, and/or certifications.

• Medical, dental, and vision care plans.


• Flexible spending accounts.


• Paid time off and leave programs, including paid parental leave, vacation, holidays, and sick leave.


• 401(k) plan with a 9% Lab contribution, 100% vested on Day 1.


• Flexible work arrangements, including alternate work schedules where available.


• Tuition assistance, training, and professional development programs.


• Eligible for an annual performance bonus (may be prorated based on date of hire).


• Relocation assistance available.

Jefferson Lab is located near the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay region, with access to nearby beaches, mountains, and all major metropolitan centers on the East Coast.

EEO Statement

JDG recognizes that SURATech, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a veteran, disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.