Oak Ridge National Laboratory

U.S. ITER Project Director

Oak Ridge National Laboratory$150K — $180K *
Energy & Utilities
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Advanced degree (master's or Ph.D.) in a science or engineering discipline.
  • At least 15 years of scientific/technical management experience.
  • Proven, successful management of large, complex scientific/technical projects.
  • Exceptional communication skills for diverse stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with skilled scientists and engineers.
  • Experience with alternative contracting and selection methods.
  • Ability to travel internationally.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the execution of the U.S. ITER Project in compliance with DOE regulations.
  • Ensure project progress toward U.S. goals and alignment with the international ITER schedule.
  • Serve as the U.S. representative on the ITER Executive Project Board and coordinate with domestic agencies.
  • Provide timely information to the Department of Energy and other stakeholders about project value.
  • Build and sustain a cohesive U.S. ITER team of experienced project management and technical staff.
  • Ensure safety and environmental compliance while achieving project objectives.
  • Proactively manage project risks to support decision-making.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to contribute to a groundbreaking international fusion project.
  • Engage with a team of eminent scientists and engineers in cutting-edge research.
  • Possibility for professional growth within the U.S. fusion community.
  • Access to a collaborative and interdisciplinary work environment.
  • Chance to impact the future of energy on a global scale.
Full Job Description
Requisition Id 16705

Level: MG06

Overview:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Project Director for the U.S. ITER Project. U.S. ITER (www.usiter.org) is a multi-laboratory collaboration (ORNL, PPPL, and SRNL) within the DOE Office of Science. The project supports the construction of the international ITER fusion facility (www.iter.org), a partnership among seven members-China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United States-working together to build and operate this experimental device in southern France. U.S. ITER is responsible for delivering twelve critical hardware systems to the ITER facility. The project is approximately halfway complete, with final deliveries anticipated within the next decade.

The Director of the U.S. ITER Project serves as the executive leader for the U.S. contribution to ITER, providing strategic direction and overall management. This role ensures technical, budget, and schedule objectives are met safely and compliantly, and that the project is executed in alignment with DOE expectations. The Director reports to the ORNL Laboratory Director and is a member of the UT-Battelle Leadership Team.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:
  • Leads execution of the U.S. ITER Project, including R&D, design, and fabrication/procurement of in-kind hardware, in compliance with DOE Orders governing project execution.
  • Ensures progress according to project technical, cost, and schedule requirements toward U.S. project goals and alignment with the international ITER schedule, subject to available funding.
  • Serves as the primary U.S. representative to the ITER Organization and as the U.S. expert on the ITER Executive Project Board, coordinating with the seven domestic agencies.
  • Interfaces with and provides timely information to the Department of Energy, advisory committees, partner laboratories, and the scientific community. Interfaces with other stakeholders as necessary to communicate the value and importance of ITER and the U.S. ITER Project.
  • Builds, develops, and sustains an integrated U.S. ITER team with experienced project management and technical staff, and effectively integrates partners.
  • Ensures safety, environmental compliance, and achievement of ESH and QA objectives.
  • Proactively manages project risks to support sound decision-making.
  • Engages with the scientific and technical community and the private sector to further the goals of the U.S. ITER Project and in support of ITER
  • Interfaces with the U.S. fusion community and ORNL's Fusion and Fission Energy and Science Directorate to help ensure that the U.S. best capitalizes on the ITER research phase.
  • Engages as a member of ORNL's leadership team, sharing responsibility for simultaneous excellence in S&T, operations and community engagement


Basic Qualifications:
  • Advanced degree (master's or Ph.D.) in a science or engineering discipline.
  • At least 15 years of scientific/technical management experience.
  • Proven, successful management of large, complex scientific/technical projects.
  • Exceptional communication skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to a diverse audience of stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated ability to work productively with highly skilled scientists, engineers, and project management professionals.
  • Experience with alternative contracting vehicles and selection methods.
  • Ability to travel internationally.


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience with DOE projects executed under DOE Order 413, particularly within the Office of Science.
  • Background in fusion science and technology.
  • Established credibility and trust within the U.S. fusion research community.


Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements:

For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.

To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.

For foreign national candidates:

If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

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This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

About Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy (DOE) by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the largest science and energy national laboratory in the Department of Energy system by size and by annual budget. ORNL conducts research and development activities in a variety of scientific and technical disciplines. ORNL's scientific programs focus on materials, neutron science, energy, high-performance computing, systems biology and national security. ORNL partners with other national laboratories, universities and industry to solve complex problems and transfer knowledge and technology. ORNL is home to several of the world's most powerful supercomputers, including Summit, the world's most powerful supercomputer as of November 2018.
Learn more about Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Size
5,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1943

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