Director - Materials, Physical & Chemical Sciences (Center 1800)

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque seeks a Director to lead the Materials, Physical & Chemical Sciences Center, overseeing research in advanced materials, materials aging, and manufacturing, with partnerships across the Labs and with Los Alamos.

The role emphasizes strategy, AI modeling, quantum microelectronics, and collaboration to advance national security programs; reports to Associate Lab Director for Advanced Science & Technology.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership in large research or center-level management.
• Experience guiding multi-disciplinary teams in materials science fields.
• Strategic planning and execution for scientific programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Materials, Physical and Chemical Sciences Center and its groups.
• Manage direct reports and ensure effective leadership across the center.
• Collaborate with programs and line organizations to achieve mission objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Materials science

Job description

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Reporting to the Associate Lab Director for Advanced Science & Technology, this position is responsible for all aspects of leading and managing the Materials, Physical & Chemical Sciences Center ("Center"). The Albuquerque-based Center delivers both foundational and applied research in materials science, along with utilizing this knowledge and expertise impacting all of Sandia's programs. This includes capabilities in developing advanced materials, materials synthesis and processing, materials characterization, and understanding of materials' reliability, aging, and failure mechanisms for all classes of materials needed to enable the breadth of Sandia's National Security mission. The organization stewards process technologies such as welding and joining, tribology, thermal spray, and advanced manufacturing. The Center has responsibility for foundational development for electronic, quantum, and optical materials with strong institutional partnerships with other Physical Sciences centers across the Labs. The Center 1800 partners with Los Alamos National Laboratory in leading the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), which is one of the five Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Nanoscience Research Centers. Center 1800 is a key partner with the Sandia Nuclear Deterrence (ND) program supporting new materials development, and insertion with deep expertise in materials aging and lifetimes. The Center director is responsible for leading Sandia's materials sciences and engineering strategy, including stewarding a ~$15M annual Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD)-based investment. Currently the Center comprises 500+ staff (including students and postdocs) with an annual R&D budget of $200M.

The Director will lead the Laboratories capabilities in foundational and applied materials, physical and chemical sciences R&D to support and enhance the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) technology base while delivering on mission objectives. The center is accountable for collaborating with all programs and line organizations to ensure the success of Sandia National Laboratories as an institution. The Center is a key partner with the Sandia ND program supporting new materials development, materials reliability, compatibility and aging, characterization of stockpile materials, prototyping advanced manufacturing and fabrication processes, and providing subject matter expertise across a wide range of material, physical, and chemical phenomena. Key elements of the Center's strategy include development and usage of AI models and technologies; high-fidelity modeling and simulation application development; quantum microelectronics, including scope and leadership in Sandia's recently announced Quantum Futures Center; power electronics; advanced materials development; and advanced manufacturing, including scope and leadership in Sandia's Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation (CAMINO).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assume line and program management responsibilities of the Materials, Physical and Chemical Sciences Center, including managing direct reports and ensuring effective leadership within Groups and