Los Alamos National Laboratory

Electromagnetic Sciences & Cognitive Space Applications Group Leader (R&D Manager 4)

Los Alamos National Laboratory$170K — $295K *
Aerospace & Defense
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field with eight years of related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams in R&D environments and to implement organizational change.
  • Demonstrated success in developing scientists and engineers through mentorship and career development strategies.
  • Excellent communication skills across varying levels of technical staff and management.
  • Ability to obtain Q and SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the strategic vision of the ISR-2 Electromagnetic Sciences & Cognitive Space Applications Group.
  • Manage technical and administrative operations while ensuring safety and security.
  • Foster a culture of scientific excellence and innovation within the group.
  • Develop and sustain a high-performing workforce through mentorship and development opportunities.
  • Assess and evolve the group's research portfolio and workforce strategy to align with future missions.
  • Identify and mitigate technical and organizational risks in project execution.
  • Collaborate with leadership and external sponsors to match capabilities with mission needs.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance options available.
  • Free basic life and disability insurance offered.
  • Paid parental leave to support family planning.
  • Generous 401(k) matching plan.
  • Flexible scheduling and extensive paid time off options.
  • Access to onsite fitness and wellness programs.
  • Comprehensive relocation assistance for new hires.
Full Job Description
Description

Job Title Electromagnetic Sciences & Cognitive Space Applications Group Leader (R&D Manager 4)

Location Los Alamos, NM, US

Organization Name ISR-2/Electromagnetic Sciences & Cognitive Space Applications

Minimum Salary 170600

Maximum Salary 295400

What You Will Do
This position is open for both internal and external candidates to apply.
The Intelligence & Space Research (ISR) division seeks a highly motivated, dynamic scientific and engineering leader with experience leading complex research and development organizations to lead the ISR-2 Electromagnetic Sciences & Cognitive Space Applications Group!

The ISR-2 Group Leader will be responsible for establishing and executing a strategic vision that positions the organization for future mission success while maintaining excellence in ongoing program execution. This includes assessing and evolving the group's organization, research portfolio, workforce strategy, and technical capabilities to meet future mission needs. You will lead the group's technical and administrative operations; steward its enduring scientific and engineering capabilities; and work closely with ISR-2 leadership, ISR division leadership, program managers, project leaders, and external sponsors to align people and capabilities with mission needs.

The ISR-2 Group Leader will foster a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, safety, security, accountability, and continuous learning. You will develop and sustain a healthy, high-performing workforce across all career stages through mentorship, performance management, succession planning, recruitment and retention, and student and postdoctoral development. You will create opportunities for scientists and engineers to grow as technical leaders and develop sustainable research portfolios. You will be responsible for strategic workforce planning, performance and salary management, staff development and accountability, and recognition of individual and team accomplishments.

As the ISR-2 Group Leader, you will identify and mitigate technical and organizational risk; collaborate with program managers and project leaders to support successful program execution; and provide a safe and secure working environment using the ISR core values supported by Human Performance Improvement (HPI) and Safe Conduct of Research (SCoR) principles.


What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:
R&D Manager 4 ($170,600 - $295,400)

Leadership
  • Proven ability to inspire and lead multidisciplinary teams through complex scientific, engineering, operational, and organizational challenges; build effective cross-organizational collaborations; and implement change to improve organizational effectiveness.
  • Demonstrated success fostering a creative, entrepreneurial R&D environment and developing scientists and engineers through mentorship, sponsorship, succession planning, and opportunities to grow as technical and organizational leaders and stewards of sustainable research portfolios.
  • Proven ability to establish clear expectations, build accountability, navigate conflict, and effectively lead strong technical personalities toward common organizational and mission objectives.
Management
  • Demonstrated success managing a technical workforce, including workforce planning, recruitment and retention, staff development, performance management, succession planning, and alignment of people and skills with organizational needs.
  • Demonstrated experience balancing mission execution, workforce sustainability, capability development, strategic investment, and sponsor expectations in a complex R&D environment.
Technical Knowledge
  • Demonstrated technical leadership and experience relevant to one or more of ISR-2's technical areas-including RF and optical remote sensing; ground, airborne, and space-based sensing systems; space communications and cognitive space applications; signature discovery and propagation; algorithm development; and laboratory and field experimentation-with the breadth to lead multidisciplinary experts, assess technical and safety risk, and steward scientific and engineering capabilities.
Communication
  • Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and active-listening skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively across technical staff, management, programs, sponsors, and other stakeholders.
Safety and Security
  • Demonstrated skill, expertise, and success in workforce safety, security, environment, and health, such as through implementing HPI and/or SCoR principles, or equivalent techniques.
  • Demonstrated commitment to mission assurance, protection of sensitive information, and responsible execution of national security missions.
  • Ability to obtain Q and SCI clearances is required.
Workplace Culture
  • Demonstrated ability to foster a respectful, collaborative, accountable, and high-performing workplace where individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can contribute and succeed.
Education/Experience: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution and eight years of directly related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated ability to work broadly across a large organization to influence strategy, resolve cross-organizational challenges, and support successful execution of major programs.
  • Demonstrated ability to take a concept from low to high TRL to provide insight and advice on maturing promising capabilities.
  • Working knowledge of DOE/NNSA, DoD, NASA, and/or other government agencies.
  • Demonstrated success developing sponsor relationships, research opportunities, and sustainable technical portfolios - either directly or by developing and enabling technical staff to do so.
  • Advanced degree in a relevant science or engineering field is preferred.
  • Active Q clearance and SCI.
Note to Applicants: Interested applicants must include a cover letter and resume detailing how they meet the minimum requirements of the ISR-2 Group Leader position.

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Physical Requirements (can perform with or without reasonable accommodation):
  • Physical movement between buildings located primarily within a half-mile radius, which may include movement across uneven and/or inclined ground.
  • Physical movement within large interior facility spaces and corridors.
  • Direct or peripheral interaction with hardware, equipment, and instruments in office and laboratory environments.
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.

Position Commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.


Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
  • 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)


Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

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 US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

*Eligibility Requirements : To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular Position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Incentive Compensation Program: Position is eligible to participate in the Triad Incentive Compensation Program. You must be in an eligible position for a minimum of 3 months, before July 1st and remain in an eligible position as of the end of the fiscal year, September 30th. The annual distribution is prorated based on the number of months in the eligible position.

Employment Status Full Time

Appointment Type Regular

Regular

About Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory initially organized during World War II for the design of nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. It is located a short distance northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico in the southwestern United States. LANL conducts research in fields such as national security, space exploration, renewable energy, medicine, nanotechnology, and supercomputing. It is the largest institution of its kind in the world. LANL is managed and operated by Triad National Security, LLC, which is composed of Battelle Memorial Institute, the University of California, and the Texas A&M University System.
Learn more about Los Alamos National Laboratory
Size
12,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1943

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