DIII-D Operations Director

General Atomics; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 289,000; Full time

Job summary

General Atomics is seeking an Operations Director for the DIII-D program to oversee planning, management, and technical performance of facility operations, engineering, and research-support programs.

The role reports to senior management and leads diverse teams to ensure safety, efficiency, and achievement of objectives across multiple stakeholders and budgets.

Qualifications

• Demonstrate detailed and extensive knowledge of program-management principles, concepts, practices, and tools.
• Demonstrate leadership skills including organizing, planning, scheduling, budgeting, and coordinating workloads to meet deadlines.
• Have substantial experience managing complex scientific or engineering programs and leading large multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience developing program plans, operating budgets, schedules, and technical deliverables.
• Strong technical background in fusion devices, plasma physics, or related technologies.

Responsibilities

• Direct all phases of significant DIII-D operations, engineering, facility-development, and research-support programs from concept through completion.
• Develop and coordinate program plans, schedules, resource plans, and performance objectives for complex initiatives.
• Consult with senior management to develop technical, schedule, safety, and financial objectives.
• Lead program reviews with leadership, DOE, collaborators, and stakeholders to communicate performance.
• Oversee day-to-day facility operations, maintenance, and safety of critical systems.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s/Doctoral in engineering or related technical field

Job description

Job Summary

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world’s leading resources for high-technology systems development, ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless, and laser technologies. The DIII-D National Fusion Facility is the U.S.’s flagship magnetic-confinement fusion research facility, focused on developing the scientific basis and technical solutions for future fusion reactors, including a net-electric-power plant and ITER.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a highly experienced Operations Director to join the DIII-D program. The Operations Director is responsible for the planning, management, and technical performance of significant facility operations, engineering, research-support, and development programs. This position oversees activities from initiation through completion and ensures that technical, schedule, quality, safety, operational, business, and financial objectives are achieved.

The Operations Director leads programs and facility initiatives that support the continued growth and strategic importance of DIII-D as a world-class plasma research user facility. The position applies advanced technologies, engineering methods, and program-management practices to coordinate activities across facility systems, research capabilities, and multiple internal and external stakeholders.

The position typically reports to the DIII-D Director or another senior program or functional manager and accomplishes objectives through subordinate managers, technical leads, and cross-functional teams.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Direct all phases of significant DIII-D operations, engineering, facility-development, and research-support programs from concept development through completion, including planning, acquisition support, execution, integration, and technical-performance management.
• Develop and coordinate program plans, delivery methods, schedules, resource plans, and performance objectives for complex initiatives involving multiple facility systems, technical disciplines, research activities, and stakeholders.
• Consult with DIII-D and GA senior management to develop and implement current, annual, and long-term technical, schedule, quality, safety, operational, business, and financial objectives.
• Contribute to the development of DIII-D and GA organizational objectives, strategic plans, facility capabilities, and long-range program forecasts.
• Direct the establishment of technical concepts, criteria, requirements, and engineering efforts for facility operations, research capability development, testing, integration, maintenance, and upgrades.
• Oversee day-to-day facility operations and maintenance activities, including primary systems, diagnostics, infrastructure, and other capabilities essential to safe, reliable, and effective DIII-D operations.
• Develop and manage operating budgets, resource plans, schedules, and performance measures. Direct and coordinate the preparation of program plans, work statements, specifications, operating budgets, and other planning and control documents.
• Interact with senior management concerning matters of significance to DIII-D and GA. Serve as a primary point of contact for significant operational, technical, schedule, resource, safety, and program issues.
• Lead program and facility reviews with DIII-D leadership, GA management, the Department of Energy, research collaborators, users, and other stakeholders to communicate cost, schedule, technical, operational, and safety performance.
• Identify program and facility issues and provide leadership in developing solutions, including reallocating resources, revising schedules, modifying technical approaches, or adjusting requirements and implementation plans.
• Ensure that technical leadership and excellence are maintained by directing and participating in the planning, recruitment, selection, retention, development, and organization of managea, scientific, engineering, technical, and administrative personnel.
• Lead, mentor, and motivate a diverse workforce, typically including scientists, engineers, technicians, and administrative staff. Foster effective communication, collaboration, accountability, professional development, and a safe and productive work environment.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety requirements, policies, procedures, and regulatory obligations. The Operations Director has the authority to stop, redirect, or modify an operation or project when necessary to protect personnel, the facility, the environment, or research assets.
• Support the development of new facility capabilities, research opportunities, strategic partnerships, and other initiatives that enhance the capabilities and long-term value of DIII-D.
• Collaborate with researchers, technical staff, external institutions, government representatives, and other stakeholders to support experiments, facility use, technical planning, and execution of the DIII-D program.
• Maintain appropriate protection of proprietary technology, controlled information, and other sensitive information, and ensure the confidentiality of such information.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required.

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

Job Qualifications

Typically requires a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in engineering, science, physics, or a related technical field, as well as 15 or more years of progressively complex program-administration or technical-management experience, including at least 9 years managing significant programs or projects. Equivalent experience may be substituted in lieu of education.

The successful candidate must:

• Demonstrate detailed and extensive knowledge of program-management principles, concepts, practices, and tools.
• Demonstrate comprehensive leadership skills, including organizing, planning, scheduling, budgeting, and coordinating workloads to meet established deadlines and milestones.
• Have substantial experience managing complex scientific, engineering, technical, or facility programs and leading large multidisciplinary teams.
• Have experience developing program plans, operating budgets, work statements, schedules, performance measures, and technical deliverables.
• Possess a strong technical background in fusion devices, plasma physics, scientific research facilities, engineering systems, or related technologies.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop solutions to complex problems requiring ingenuity, creativity, and sound judgment.
• Demonstrate the ability to assimilate complex information, evaluate alternatives, make timely decisions, and implement effective action plans.
• Possess strong communication, leadership, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills sufficient to interface effectively with departments, all levels of management, professional and support staff, customers, research collaborators, government representatives, and external institutions.
• Demonstrate the ability to build effective working relationships and trust, motivate personnel, and promote a collaborative and constructive management environment.
• Demonstrate experience managing safety, facility protection, regulatory compliance, and operational risk in a complex technical or research environment.
• Be able to lead activities involving multiple simultaneous projects, technical disciplines, stakeholders, and organizational priorities.

Job Type: Full-Time Hourly

Salary range: 155,370 - 289,320