Chief Operating Officer

What You Will Do This position is open for both internal and external candidates to apply. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) reports to the Associate Laboratory Director for Chemical and Earth Life Sciences (ALDCELS) and is a critical executive of the ALDCELS management team. The ALDCELS Directorate includes the Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Bioscience divisions. The divisions are home to capability-focused groups whose work spans the Laboratory's major mission areas of stockpile modernization, global security, and energy security. The ALDCELS COO provides operational leadership for programmatic performance, management of safety, security and environment, workforce excellence, technical capability development, and operational management for all CELS divisions. The COO effectively addresses Laboratory goals for programmatic, business, and operational excellence and maintains effective working relationships with Laboratory senior management and internal and external stakeholders. The COO must demonstrate integrity, the ability to establish trust, commitment to quality and excellence in science and technology, and commitment to workforce engagement and excellence in the workforce. The COO will represent ALDCELS in a number of activities including participation in the Laboratory Operations Committee (LOC), which supports institutional integration across the Laboratory. The ALDCELS COO leads or participates in cross-organizational committees focused on institutional operational improvement initiatives. Successful candidate responsibilities include the following: Collaborate with the ALD and DDSTE COOs to execute DDSTE and Laboratory initiatives, ensuring alignment with ALDCELS strategic objectives. Development and management of indirect budgets for ALD. Provide directorate-level leadership for safety, security, environment, and quality, chairing the ALDCELS WESST (Workplace Environment, Safety, Security & Training) team. Leads decision‑making on infrastructure initiatives, encompassing both facility development and equipment acquisition. Partner with the ALD and the broader CELS line and program management team on strategic and tactical planning. Deliver prompt, accurate responses on behalf of ALDCELS to DDSTE, Institutional, and other stakeholder requests, ensuring information aligns with strategic priorities and is shared within agreed service‑level timeframes. Lead cross‑organizational initiatives with ALDCELS management to design, pilot, and roll out efficient processes that enhance Laboratory operational execution. Provide direction and oversight for asset management, talent development, and multi‑FOD interfaces, ensuring resources are optimally allocated and performance is tracked. Prioritize senior‑leadership focus on cross‑organizational challenges, integrating CELS strategic goals into actionable operational plans. Communicate ALDCELS initiatives to Laboratory partners‑including the LOC-using clear, concise messaging that reinforces alignment with Laboratory objectives. Deliver leadership for the culture initiatives being implemented within ALDCELS and at the Laboratory. Deliver leadership commitment to the Laboratory's continuous improvement process as a learning organization. Maintain line‑management ownership of the directorate risk‑heat‑map, security posture, space‑utilization planning, and environmental assessments, ensuring risks are mitigated on schedule. Coordinate with ALDCELS to support emergency‑response actions for mission‑essential functions, maintaining readiness in accordance with the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). Chair the CELS Management Review Board, cultivating emerging leaders and fostering cross‑division collaboration on CELS‑wide strategic topics. What You Need Minimum Job Requirements: Leadership: Proven record of leading division‑level (or larger) multi‑disciplinary technical organizations. Strategic & Operational Expertise: Experience setting technical direction, designing & deploying business processes, overseeing a diverse technical workforce, managing multi‑year budgets, protecting intellectual property, and cultivating stakeholder relationships. Communication: Outstanding oral and written communication; ability to influence and collaborate with all organizational levels and external partners (including international agencies). Operations & Facility Planning: Deep expertise in disciplined operations, security, and facility planning for both office and high‑hazard laboratory environments. Policy Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of DOE/DOE‑National Laboratory policies (personnel, budgeting, procurement, facilities, safety, security, quality) and a proven track‑record creating environments that enable scientific excellence. Cross‑Organizational Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to resolve institutional issues in partnership with senior Laboratory leadership. Government Experience: Prior experience interacting with DOE/NNSA (HQ or field), federal regulators, or other national‑security agencies. Education/Experience: A degree in a scientific, engineering, business or other relevant discipline is expected or the equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Desired Qualifications: Proven management of environments meeting stringent safety, security, environmental, and quality standards; experience with nuclear or other high‑hazard facilities. Strong collaborative partnerships with external agencies and government entities on technical and policy initiatives. In‑depth knowledge of CELS program structure, stockpile‑stewardship, nuclear‑weapons program funding/production, and global‑security program architecture. Active SCI clearance (or ability to obtain one). Work Location The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management. Benefits PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network Dental and vision insurance Free basic life and disability insurance Paid childbirth and parental leave Award‑winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually) Learning opportunities and tuition assistance Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays) Onsite gyms and wellness programs Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius) Clearance Clearance: Q/SCI (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and obtaining such clearance requires U.S. citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Equal Opportunity Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. #J-18808-Ljbffr