Accelerator Division Director

Position Summary

The Brookhaven National Laboratory Accelerator Division Director will lead the transition of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to support the Electron‑Ion Collider (EIC). The Director will provide strategic, technical, operational, and financial leadership for a 75‑person organization that manages an annual operating budget of approximately $60 million. The role reports to the Associate Laboratory Director for the Fundamental Interactions and Particles Directorate and works closely with EIC Project leadership, technical division leadership, user communities, funding agencies, and the Laboratory’s senior management.

The Director is responsible for aligning Division activities with Laboratory priorities, the EIC Project objectives, and Department of Energy mission requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership and Organizational Direction: Provide overall leadership, develop a long‑term vision, establish priorities, performance expectations, governance processes, and management systems. Serve on the FIP Directorate leadership team and contribute to laboratory‑wide planning, resource allocation, and institutional decision‑making.
• Accelerator Operations and Operational Excellence: Lead safe, reliable, secure, and efficient operation of RHIC, the hadron injector chain, and supporting accelerator infrastructure. Direct operational planning, scheduling, maintenance, outage coordination, and recovery activities. Establish and monitor performance metrics, key performance indicators, and reliability measures.
• EIC Transition and Operational Readiness: Partner with the EIC Project, Technical Division, and other Laboratory organizations to ensure a seamless transition from RHIC operations to EIC commissioning and long‑term operations. Develop and execute operational readiness strategies, coordinate operational interfaces among project organizations, facility operations, engineering, maintenance, and scientific stakeholders.
• Infrastructure Stewardship and Asset Management: Provide executive oversight of accelerator infrastructure, utilities, technical systems, and facility assets. Develop and implement long‑term modernization strategies, prioritize capital investments, and manage lifecycle asset programs.
• Engineering, Maintenance, and Reliability: Oversee maintenance, engineering support, and reliability improvement programs. Promote reliability‑centered maintenance, asset health monitoring, predictive maintenance technologies, and data‑driven decision‑making.
• Safety, Security, and Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all activities comply with Laboratory policies and DOE requirements governing safety, environmental protection, quality assurance, cybersecurity, and conduct of operations. Maintain a strong safety culture.
• Financial and Resource Management: Plan and manage the Division’s operating budget. Align financial resources with strategic priorities and operational requirements.
• Workforce Leadership and Organizational Development: Lead, inspire, and develop a multidisciplinary workforce. Partner with HR to support recruitment, retention, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Scientific and Technical Leadership: Provide guidance supporting accelerator operations, modernization efforts, and technology development. Encourage innovation, research, and technical collaboration.
• Stakeholder Engagement and External Relations: Represent the Division in interactions with DOE officials, Laboratory leadership, advisory committees, user communities, and external stakeholders. Prepare and deliver executive‑level briefings, technical presentations, and strategic reports.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ph.D. in Physics, Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 12 years of progressively responsible experience in accelerator science, engineering, or complex scientific facility operations, including at least 8 years of leadership, management, and supervisory experience within a DOE laboratory or equivalent organization.
• Demonstrated success leading large, mission‑driven scientific, technical, engineering, and operational organizations, including strategic planning, workforce management, fiscal oversight, and organizational performance.
• Proven record of delivering safe, reliable, and efficient accelerator facility operations while complying with safety, environmental, and conduct of operations requirements.
• Experience managing infrastructure modernization initiatives, reliability improvement programs, lifecycle replacement activities, and long‑term asset stewardship.
• Experience developing and implementing operational readiness, maintenance, and reliability strategies for high‑performance scientific facilities.
• Internationally recognized accomplishments in accelerator physics, engineering, or operations, evidenced by publications, technical achievements, invited presentations, and professional recognition.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and achieve organizational objectives through staff development, collaboration, consensus building, strategic decision‑making, and resolution of complex technical and operational challenges.
• Experience engaging senior laboratory leadership, funding agencies, advisory committees, user communities, and external stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences and develop executive‑level presentations.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high‑performing workplace culture.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required. Position is on‑site.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of DOE programs, policies, and operations of National Laboratories and large scientific user facilities.
• Familiarity with DOE project management requirements, DOE Order 413.3B, Critical Decision processes, risk management, and project performance management systems.
• Direct project management experience.
• Experience supporting the design, commissioning, operation, maintenance, or modernization of hadron accelerators, collider facilities, injector complexes, or other large‑scale accelerator systems.

Additional Information

Employees must obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with HSPD‑12 requirements.

Application Deadline

8/6/26

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action

Brookhaven National Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

Individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. The Laboratory complies with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, including the 45 Code of Federal Regulations § 404.11.