Chief Communications Officer

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory•Berkeley, CA

3d•$290,000 - $360,000•Onsite

About The Position

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory invites visionary, accomplished communications leaders to apply for the role of Chief Communications Officer (CCO)—a rare opportunity to shape the voice and reputation of one of the world's premier scientific research institutions. The CCO will lead Berkeley Lab's strategic communications function and help advance the Laboratory's mission of delivering science solutions to the world's greatest challenges. Reporting directly to the Laboratory Director and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the Chief Communications Officer is a trusted strategic advisor who partners closely with senior leaders to advance Berkeley Lab's scientific, operational, fiscal, cultural, and reputational goals. Leading the 17-person Strategic Communications Office, the CCO will develop and execute a bold, integrated communications strategy that elevates the Laboratory's global profile, strengthens engagement with the U.S. Department of Energy, the University of California, policymakers, scientific collaborators, employees, and surrounding communities, and reinforces Berkeley Lab's position as a world leader in scientific innovation. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a modern, enterprise-wide communications organization, inspire a high-performing team, and shape compelling narratives that showcase groundbreaking research, operational excellence, organizational culture, and public impact. The successful candidate will foster trust across diverse stakeholders, lead through moments of opportunity and complexity, and ensure Berkeley Lab's voice reflects its enduring commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, service, and stewardship. About Berkeley Lab: At Berkeley Lab, our collective purpose is to serve humankind through science. A Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Berkeley Lab is a U.S. Dept. of Energy Office of Science national laboratory managed by the University of California . Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes to date. We conduct groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies, performed by teams whose expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Our five world class scientific user facilities are used annually by more than 16,000 researchers from around the world. Berkeley Lab has a dynamic workforce of 4,000 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $1.36 billion. About 95%25 of the Laboratory’s funding comes from federal and state taxpayers, and we are committed to caring for the people, research, and resources that make our mission possible, a responsibility we call stewardship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
15+ years of progressive leadership experience in strategic communications, public affairs, or related fields, ideally within a science-driven, research, academic, government, or similarly complex institutional environment.
Proven ability to design and execute enterprise-scale, integrated communications strategies aligned with institutional mission, scientific leadership, and long-term programmatic priorities in large, distributed organizations.
Successful track record of advising senior executives on reputation, issues management, and strategic messaging.
Exceptional written, verbal, and executive communication skills with deep fluency in modern communications practices, tools, and opportunities across digital, media, internal communications, branding, and executive messaging.
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively across complex stakeholder ecosystems, including federal agencies, academic partners, and public-sector institutions.
Ability to balance diverse and sometimes competing stakeholder needs while maintaining institutional coherence and credibility.
High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and credibility at all levels of an organization, with the ability to influence without authority and build trust across scientific, operational, and executive communities.
Significant experience leading crisis and emergency communications, with the ability to operate effectively under pressure while maintaining transparency and alignment with institutional values.
Proven ability to protect institutional reputation while sustaining trust with internal and external stakeholders.
Proven success in leading and developing high-performing, multidisciplinary teams.
Experience driving organizational alignment, cross-functional collaboration, and institutional change in complex environments.
Strong budgeting, operational planning, and resource management skills.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience leading communications activities in a Department of Energy national laboratory or FFRDC (federally funded research & development center) environment.
Familiarity with data-informed communications approaches and emerging technologies, including AI-enabled communications tools and workflows.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an enterprise-wide communications strategy aligned with the Laboratory’s scientific mission, strategic priorities, and world-renowned scientific reputation. Establish clear communication outcomes and deploy data analytics to demonstrate and evaluate progress. Include a strategy that addresses the impacts of AI on stakeholder information gathering patterns.
Serve as a senior advisor to the Laboratory Director and executive leadership on reputation, issues management, stakeholder engagement, and institutional positioning.
Translate long-term vision into actionable communication strategies that demonstrably advance scientific leadership and programmatic ambitions across internal and external stakeholder audiences.
Drive integrated storytelling across programs and directorates to strengthen institutional coherence and reinforce a unified Laboratory identity.
Position the Laboratory as a global leader in science, innovation, and impact.
Lead communications that are balanced across the Laboratory’s research portfolio in energy, computation, artificial intelligence, quantum, materials, biological sciences, and related disciplines.
Lead proactive engagement with national and global media to elevate the Laboratory’s reputation for scientific excellence and impact.
Connect programmatic priorities to broader societal challenges, strengthening understanding of federally funded science and its value.
Direct an integrated digital and media ecosystem aligned with modern audience expectations and institutional storytelling needs.
Lead a Lab-wide internal communications program that fosters shared purpose across a complex organization with multiple internal communities.
Partner with executives to communicate a culture of stewardship, shared values, and safety culture.
Partner with functional areas (e.g., the Stewardship Office and Human Resources) to communicate organizational change in ways that build trust and engagement.
Strengthen cohesion across research & operations communications teams to support execution of Laboratory priorities.
Lead internal efforts to execute programs that foster employee engagement.
Prepare for and lead emergency and crisis communications that protect the Laboratory’s people, assets and reputation while maintaining and building stakeholder trust.
Advise senior leadership in real time during high-consequence reputation crises, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and institutional credibility.
Be available after hours and on weekends to advise and lead crisis communications as needed.
Build trust and alignment across stakeholder communities through clear, consistent, and responsive messaging.
Serve as the senior communications interface with the U.S. Department of Energy, University of California, State of California, academic partners, industry, and local communities.
Coordinate communications across national laboratory peers (the National Laboratories Chief Communications Officers) and research partners to reinforce mission alignment and collective impact.
Represent the Laboratory in national forums where communications, science policy, and institutional reputation converge.
Strengthen integration across decentralized communications teams to build and lead a cohesive, Lab-wide communications enterprise, leveraging distributed expertise into a unified strategic function.
Foster a high-performing communications culture across all Lab communicators grounded in collaboration, trust, accountability, innovation, and excellence.
For the Strategic Communications team, oversee budgeting, workforce planning, and resource allocation aligned with institutional priorities.
Anticipate and adapt to shifts in the information landscape, including misinformation, evolving communications practices, and AI-enabled communications tools and workflows.