Deputy Chief Operating Officer

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory • Berkeley, CA

2d • $325,000 - $400,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has an exceptional opportunity for a senior operations leader to serve as Deputy Chief Operating Officer at one of the world’s leading research institutions.
Reporting to the Deputy Laboratory Director for Operations/Chief Operating Officer (DLD/COO), the Deputy COO is a critical partner in shaping and advancing the Lab-wide operational strategy. This high-impact role provides the strategic and technical leadership to ensure high-quality, efficient, and compliant operations that directly enable our scientific mission. The Deputy COO is responsible for Laboratory-wide integration, providing an institutional perspective, leading strategic problem-solving across Operations and Science divisions, and enabling the Laboratory’s 30 Division Directors to execute their operational responsibilities effectively and consistently.
This position requires a leader with strong strategic judgment, credibility across technical and scientific communities, and the proven ability to advance complex institutional priorities and consistently improve Operations performance within a highly regulated environment. In this role, the successful candidate will strengthen the coherence, consistency, and effectiveness of our work and business processes, safeguarding the Laboratory's long-term "license to operate" under the ‘GOCO’ model and mitigating institutional risk to levels acceptable to the Department of Energy (DOE) and the public. In addition, the Deputy COO will play a key role in institutional planning, integrated governance, and high-level engagement with DOE, the University of California (UC), and peer institutions, ensuring operational systems consistently support world-class scientific productivity.
This is an exciting career opportunity for a senior leader to make substantial contributions that advance Berkeley Lab’s fundamental mission of providing world-class science, forging important internal and external partnerships, and pursuing operational excellence to meet Laboratory performance goals. Come be a part of something extraordinary at Berkeley Lab!
About Berkeley Lab:
Berkeley Lab is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory managed by the University of California and designated a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). The Laboratory conducts groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. 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. “Team Science” remains an integral part of Berkeley Lab’s DNA, where research is carried out across multiple scientific disciplines.
Berkeley Lab has a dynamic workforce of 4,000 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $1.3 billion. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for DOE’s Office of Science. About 95%25 of the Laboratory’s funding comes from federal and state taxpayers, which highlights the importance of stewardship and trust with the public.

Requirements

• 20+ years of demonstrated progressively responsible leadership experience in complex, highly regulated, scientific, research, FFRDC, or mission-driven organizations.
• Advanced degree in a scientific, engineering, or relevant technical field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated success leading large, multidisciplinary organizations and delivering measurable institutional outcomes with clear accountability for results.
• Demonstrated experience navigating federal oversight environments (DOE, NASA, DoD, or similar FFRDC environments) and working effectively with regulatory and governance stakeholders.
• Extensive demonstrated experience in technical areas enabling operational excellence across multiple domains in at least three of the following critical technical areas: Facility management and maintenance, engineering, capital project management, security, emergency management, IT, budget/finance, human resources, organizational culture change, represented workforce and unions, multiple EHS disciplines, safety culture, and/or institutional risk and performance management.
• Strong strategic judgment with the ability to integrate scientific needs, operational constraints, regulatory expectations, and institutional priorities to solve problems and implement timely and productive solutions.
• Ability to build trust, influence outcomes, and successfully negotiate solutions to complex problems with senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to deliver concise, actionable, executive-level briefings under pressure.
• Commitment to upholding the Laboratory’s stewardship principles, especially with regard to the Lab’s research, people, and resources, and ensuring that it remains a valuable national asset.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE “Q” Clearance (Top Secret equivalent).

Responsibilities

• Operations Strategy and Lab-wide Execution: Serve as a key member of the Operations Leadership Team, acting as a designee for the DLD/COO to enable and implement institutional operational strategies and priorities. Coordinate Lab-wide enterprise-wide coordination of major operational initiatives, resolve crosscutting challenges, and oversee high-visibility, Lab-wide strategic projects. Develop high-impact briefings on operational posture, risks, and progress for senior leadership and internal and external stakeholders.
• Institutional Performance and Risk Management: In partnership with the DLD/COO and Operations leadership, monitor institutional-level performance indicators to anticipate, detect, and mitigate emerging risks and trends that could negatively affect mission execution, compliance expectations, or the Laboratory’s standing with DOE. Partner with Lab Division Directors to evaluate and improve operational systems (e.g., work planning, assurance mechanisms, project execution interfaces) to identify institutional gaps, opportunities for improvement, and implementation strategies with a keen sense of urgency.
• People, Leadership, and Culture: Develop and sustain productive relationships with leadership and colleagues across the Laboratory in support of the research mission. Partner with the DLD/COO to model and promote a respectful, supportive, mission-aligned and enabling culture. Provide coaching and mentoring to Operations leaders. Support Operations Division Directors to maintain highly collaborative, problem-solving, and mission-focused leadership teams and continually evolve organizational capabilities to meet changing organizational requirements. Facilitate cross-organizational collaboration, transparency, and trust between Operations and Science. Serve as a visible leader who models professionalism, accountability, constructive engagement, and a sense of urgency in a complex institutional environment.
• Institutional Collaboration and External Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong working relationships with senior leaders across LBNL, DOE, UC National Laboratories and external partners. Assist in navigating the Laboratory’s tripartite governance structure (DOE–UCNL–LBNL) and advocate for continued infrastructure modernization and operational investment. Promote "One Lab" alignment between Science and Operations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees