Chief Communications Officer

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory invites visionary communications leaders to apply for the role of Chief Communications Officer (CCO)--an opportunity to shape the voice and reputation of one of the world's premier scientific research institutions. The CCO will lead Berkeley Lab's strategic communications function and help advance the Laboratory's mission of delivering science solutions to the world's greatest challenges.

Reporting directly to the Laboratory Director and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the Chief Communications Officer is a trusted strategic advisor who partners with senior leaders to advance Berkeley Lab's scientific, operational, fiscal, cultural, and reputational goals. Leading the 17-person Strategic Communications Office, the CCO will develop and execute a bold, integrated communications strategy that elevates the Laboratory's global profile, strengthens engagement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the University of California (UC), policymakers, scientific collaborators, employees, and surrounding communities, and reinforces Berkeley Lab's position as a world leader in scientific innovation.

This role leads a modern, Lab-wide communications organization, inspires a high-performing team, and shapes compelling narratives that showcase groundbreaking research, operational excellence, organizational culture, and public impact. The successful candidate will foster trust across diverse stakeholders, lead through moments of opportunity and complexity, and ensure Berkeley Lab's voice reflects its enduring commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, service, and stewardship.

At Berkeley Lab, our collective purpose is to serve humankind through science. A Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Berkeley Lab is DOE Office of Science national laboratory managed by the University of California. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes to date.

We conduct groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies, performed by teams whose expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Our five world class scientific user facilities are used annually by more than 16,000 researchers from around the world.

Berkeley Lab has a dynamic workforce of 4,000 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $1.36 billion. About 95% of the Laboratory's funding comes from federal and state taxpayers, and we are committed to caring for the people, research, and resources that make our mission possible, a responsibility we call stewardship.

• Develop and execute an enterprise-wide communications strategy aligned with the Laboratory's scientific mission, strategic priorities, and reputation, with clear outcomes and data analytics to evaluate progress, including the impacts of AI on stakeholder information gathering.
• Advise the Laboratory Director and executive leadership on reputation, issues management, stakeholder engagement, and institutional positioning.
• Translate long-term institutional vision into actionable communication strategies that advance scientific leadership and programmatic ambitions across internal and external audiences.
• Drive integrated storytelling across programs and directorates to reinforce a unified Laboratory identity.

• Position the Laboratory as a global leader in science, innovation, and impact.
• Lead communications across the Lab's research portfolio in energy, computation, artificial intelligence, quantum, materials, biological sciences, and related disciplines.
• Proactively engage national and global media to elevate the Laboratory's reputation for scientific excellence and impact.
• Connect programmatic priorities to broader societal challenges to strengthen understanding of federally funded science and its value.
• Direct a modern digital and media ecosystem aligned with audience…