Associate Laboratory Director for Physical Sciences Area

Associate Laboratory Director for Physical Sciences Area
Division: AP-Physical Sciences

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking an experienced and visionary leader to serve as the Associate Laboratory Director for the Physical Sciences Area. Reporting to the Laboratory Director, the ALD is accountable for strategic planning, organizational leadership, communication, and research excellence and integrity for the Physical Sciences Area, one of six scientific Areas at Berkeley Lab. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the ALD works closely with the Laboratory Director, Deputy Laboratory Directors and the other five ALDs to plan and execute strategic priorities, initiatives, and research collaborations across the Laboratory and the Department of Energy (DOE) complex.

The ALD leads and collaborates with the Directors of Nuclear Science, Physics, Engineering, and Accelerator Technology and Applied Physics (ATAP) Divisions to ensure the success of both the Area and Lab’s goals, overseeing a staff of 750 employees.

The ALD will lead the Area’s scientific strategy to carry out research on the fundamental nature of matter through programs in cosmology, particle physics, nuclear physics, and accelerator physics, while also stewarding Engineering resources across the Laboratory. They will interact with DOE and other National Laboratories, promote partnerships with academia and industry, and guide the development of externally sponsored basic research projects and programs consistent with the Laboratory’s institutional vision and strategy.

With overall responsibility for research and operational activities, the ALD will work with their staff to develop and execute priorities for facility operations and planning, champion a strong safety culture, and build and develop interdisciplinary professional teams. Lastly, while ALDs have often continued active research programs at Berkeley Lab, this is not required of the successful candidate.

With a $156 million budget, the Physical Sciences Area has a diverse and exciting program in experiment, theory, computing, and instrumentation, which is well‑matched to national priorities. Current efforts include work on the high luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, building a unique gamma‑ray spectrometer to be installed at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University, and developing new compact laser plasma accelerators that could transform accelerator‑based science of all types.

The Physical Sciences Area maintains a strong, collaborative partnership with UC Berkeley, integrating leading faculty scientists and talented graduate students into Berkeley Lab’s research environment to foster a stimulating intellectual community. In addition to supporting all science projects within the Area, the Engineering Division also provides the engineering and technical expertise for Berkeley Lab’s large‑scale scientific programs and experiments through its matrixed organizational structure.

The Physical Sciences Area is situated in close proximity to Berkeley Lab’s five national user facilities: the Advanced Light Source, the Joint Genome Institute, the Molecular Foundry, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, and the Energy Sciences Network. Learn more about the Area here.

Key Responsibilities

• As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to setting the institution’s strategic priorities, initiatives and policies and supporting their implementation. Lead by example to proactively model the Laboratory’s stewardship values.

• Guide the Area’s vision and champion its 2025 Strategic Plan, leading strategies for new and continuing research funding, workforce development, scientific program goals, operational support, and scientific infrastructure needs to maintain world‑class research output. Manage four Directors responsible for programmatic activities within their respective division.

• Provide leadership for strategic talent management to motivate and assure a high‑performing organization through effective recruitment, mentoring, career development, performance management, retention, and succession planning,…