Division Director, Physical Detection Systems & Deployment

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget. Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science‑based, mission‑focused solutions to take on complex, real‑world threats to our nation and the world. The Physical Detection Systems and Deployment Division (PDSD), part of NSD, delivers policy‑informed technology solutions by removing barriers to real‑world implementation. We strive to understand end‑user environments to transition technology from the developmental stage to deployment. Our diverse expertise in operational systems provides tools, technologies, and approaches for combating a range of threats, both at home and in more than 100 countries around the globe.

The Division Director (DD) plays a pivotal role in leading and developing a management team, inspiring staff and programs to achieve strategic goals, and cultivating a spirit of courageous discovery and inclusiveness within the Division’s workforce.

The PDSD DD is a member of the NSD senior leadership team, reporting to the Associate Laboratory Director for National Security. The DD influences organizational strategy and institutional efforts at the directorate and laboratory level, collaborating across the entire laboratory to envision and deliver new capabilities. The position partners extensively with peer leaders in the Program Development Office to support business development;

with the Program Management Offices to support project execution; and across the Laboratory to advance our science, energy, and security missions. The DD oversees 5–7 Group Leaders who manage individual technical departments, which include staff located at PNNL facilities in Richland and Seattle WA, and remote staff distributed around the US.

PDSD Core Capabilities

• Rare Event & Low Background Detection: supports low background measurements including signature definition, sample separation, detector design and construction, and analysis of backgrounds and data.
• Semiconductor Device Fabrication: leads innovation in quantum and radiation‑hard (rad‑hard) semiconductor device fabrication, focusing on novel architecture, next‑generation materials, and enhanced manufacturing techniques to meet high‑performance demands.
• Automation & Autonomous Systems: engineers/technicians/software developers across multiple teams with expertise in sensing and communications payload development, ROS and operational AI/ML models, and autonomous vehicle operations in air, land, and marine environments.
• Radio frequency Sensing & Communications: focuses on EM spectrum monitoring & analysis, mmWave imaging, RF fingerprinting, edge compute and developing low TRL to higher TRL through prototyping.
• Nuclear Materials & Border Security: includes essential regional stakeholder relationship management, expert project delivery, readily deployable integrated technology solutions, technical subject matter expertise, strategic thinking, and thought leadership.

How We Work

• We are intensely collaborative: key decisions are made by incorporating perspectives of diverse stakeholders, building relationships inside the Laboratory founded on mutual respect.
• We lead with integrity: our missions focus on critical issues with safety and security expectations.
• We lead through influence: while DDs have specific responsibilities, they must influence positive change inside the Laboratory and with external stakeholders beyond their immediate areas.
• We are mission‑driven: we start with why—connecting discovery science to applied R&D that meets real‑world requirements.

Specific Responsibilities

Strategy Execution

• Develop, implement, and communicate effective strategies and plans to advance physical…