IDSD Operations Specialist

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, Integrated Discovery 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 Integrated Discovery Sciences Directorate (IDSD) leads fundamental research across biology, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, materials science, advanced computing, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, mathematics, autonomy, and DOE national user facilities. Our vision is to accelerate scientific discovery by observing, understanding, simulating, predicting, and controlling dynamic biotic-abiotic processes and interactions within complex biological, chemical, material, and Earth systems. We intentionally connect disciplines to advance fundamental discovery science, develop transformative scientific capabilities, and address the nation’s most important challenges in energy, environmental resilience, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, health, and national security.

IDSD is seeking an outstanding Operations Specialist to provide leadership and safety oversight of IDSD’s portfolio of research operations. Our IDSD Operations Specialists enable and enhance effective and efficient project execution in support of the IDSD mission.

• Integrates operational capabilities, requirements, and solutions across research and support organizations to enable and enhance effective and efficient project execution in support of the Laboratory mission.
• Maintains awareness of existing and planned changes in the operational risk profile of assigned research operating envelope.
• Maintains situational awareness of operational needs and emerging regulatory requirements, providing analysis of options and recommendations to mitigate exposure to operational risk and reduce the frequency of operational upset conditions.
• During upset conditions, assists management in the identification and implementation of immediate actions. This may include leading or participating in fact gatherings and accident investigation, participating in causal analyses, and identifying and managing corrective actions and lessons learned.
• Develops, leads and participates in various assessments in IDSD and across directorates.
• Evaluates the need for and coordinates necessary Subject Matter Expert (SME) support to line management, staff, and Project Management Offices to assist with project planning, assessment activities and risk identification and mitigation.
• Supports day-to-day work being conducted in research spaces including planning for contractors, Facilities & Infrastructure Operations (F&IO) personnel, and/or visiting researchers as well as the utilization of equipment, systems, and capabilities within their assigned spaces.
• Conducts risk reviews in the Electronic Prep & Risk system – reviews safety and operations questions with Project Managers and approve operations risks.
• Provides oversight to Lab Assist (activity planning, assessments, routine operations, operating envelopes, hazard analysis) and fosters collaboration to grow the skills of others. Assist with Off-Site Risk Mitigation Plans (ORMP), Activity development and training of activity owners.
• Represent IDSD management for lab space related issues, including overseeing project, equipment, and laboratory startups.
• Interfaces and communicates research needs, including lab modifications and other facility needs, to SMEs and F&IO personnel [building managers, and engineers] to assure operational needs are met to support Research & Development (R&D) mission needs.
• Encourages and facilitates communications between R&D management, researchers, F&IO, Operations team, and support staff about impacts to normal operations (planned outages, emergency situations, construction impacts, etc.) to mitigate and minimize impacts to R&D.
• Proactively…