Deputy Group Leader / (R&D Manager 3) - Military Veterans

What You Will Do

Join our world class team of scientists! The Earth and Environmental Sciences Division (EES) at LANL is seeking a dynamic, innovative individual to assist in leading the Climate, Ecology, and Environment group, EES-14. EES-14 is a large, diverse group of about 70 members comprised of staff, post-docs, and students with an annual budget of approximately $35M. EES-14 performs experimental, observational, and computational research encompassing ecological, biological, hydrological, atmospheric, landscape, geochemical, and geospatial sciences within controlled laboratory environments and field-based studies, from polar to tropical latitudes, along with state-of-the-art data analytics and advanced computer modeling.

The selected candidate will support the Group Leader in all aspects of group leadership, including operational support for multiple facilities, strategic development and broadening of the research portfolio into new areas, and personnel development activities. In these contexts, the specific responsibilities for this position include research program development, oversight and technical development of laboratory facilities, safety and compliance, promoting diversity as well as assisting with personnel management. The Deputy Group Leader is responsible for maintaining a strong safety and security envelope while cultivating a culture of respect for safety and security within the Group.

The selected candidate will be part of a group management team with another deputy group leader and the group leader. Areas in which you could help EES-14 grow broadly include, but are not limited to, water/food/climate security, soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, GHG monitoring, biogeochemical cycling, hydrologic and landscape response to climate change, hydrologic and ecosystem modeling, ML/AI approaches to environmental data sets, advanced isotopic and chemical tracing in the environment, climate impacts and national security, and logistical deployments in support of the scientific enterprise. Deputy Group Leader positions are funded at the 50% level, and the remaining 50% of the funding portfolio is supported through programmatic or basic research in areas broadly relevant to EES-14. The Deputy Group Leader will be supported by four Team Leaders, an administrative assistant, and a financial analyst.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Demonstrated technical accomplishments relevant to one or more of the EES-14 areas of research and operations (see the list in the "Where You Will Work" section below).
• Demonstrated scientific leadership of research project teams and/or management of a research-oriented organization.
• Record of identifying and responding to funding opportunities and program development.
• Thorough knowledge of and proven ability to conduct research and/or development activities, investigating alternative solutions, and recommending solutions to problems affecting research and development activities, projects, and/or initiatives.
• Must include a CV with a publication list and a cover letter addressing your background and vision as they fulfill the job requirements and desired skills.

Education/Experience: Position requires a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in an Earth Science discipline (e.g. geo science, environmental physics, chemistry, hydrology, ecology, atmospheric science) and 5 years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the position. A PhD in a related STEM field is strongly preferred.

No candidate is expected to have all the desired qualifications; however, candidates are encouraged to share those qualifications they possess and wish to highlight.

• Experience working in and managing field-based programs and/or analytical laboratories with chemical, electrical, pressure, biological and/or radiological safety requirements.
• Experience in developing and implementing robust QA requirements for analytical data.
• Experience with process and Earth System Models for hydrology, vegetation, etc.
• Experience with 'big data' techniques such as ML/AI, including physics-based techniques, for interrogating large environmental data sets.
• Experience in helping personnel with career development, which may include mentoring and motivating colleagues, resolving conflicts, and commitment to diversity in the workplace.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to psychological safety in the workforce.
• Demonstrated ability in technical writing, including reports, proposals, and presentations.
• Knowledge of and networks with external sponsoring organizations (DOE, NNSA, DoD, DHS, other government agencies, Industry, etc.) and with existing or potential external or internal collaborators.
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which usually requires U.S. citizenship.

Work Environment:

The EES-14 Group is characterized by a balance of basic and applied research, leading to the development of novel and integrated capabilities that can be utilized to address practical problems for a variety of sponsors in DOE, NNSA, other federal agencies, and a variety of industries. Experimental facilities include a well-equipped suite of geochemical analytical labs for the characterization of rocks and fluids; light stable isotope mass spectrometers and peripherals; equipment for laboratory and in situ measurements of atmospheric trace gas and aerosol particle characterization; chemistry and molecular biology laboratories and instrumentation; and a greenhouse with controllable growth chambers and radiological capability for plant physiological research. The group conducts scientific research and technical work across all classification levels. The work conducted in each of the four teams within the EES-14 Group is summarized below:

Landscapes and Ecosystems

• Ecosystem and landscape response to regional and global climate change.
• Vegetation-climate interactions, dynamic terrestrial vegetation modeling, plant stress responses and gene by environment interactions, use of plant-microbiome interactions to improve plant stress tolerance, and plants as biosensors.

Atmosphere and Water

• Monitoring and attribution of atmospheric greenhouse gases; absorbing aerosol chemistry and climate impacts.
• Water security and hydrologic dynamics in response to regional and global climate change.

Geomaterials and Geochemistry Research Laboratory

• Chemical, elemental, mineralogic and isotopic characterization of a diverse suite of samples and matrices including waters, gases, sediments, rocks, biofuels, plants, soils and many more.
• Recently acquired a THHERMO Ultra High-Res Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for studies using multiply substituted isotopes and noble gases.

Field Instrument Deployments and Operations

• Supports two DOE scientific user facilities and one fixed facility charged with making detailed observations about the earth's atmosphere.
• Operations and logistics for the global deployment of atmospheric sciences observation instruments and equipment.

The Group is part of the Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) Division, which is a highly interactive, well-funded basic and applied research organization with an annual budget of over $100 million and a staff of approximately 225, with core disciplines that include Geology, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geomaterials, Geography, Hydrology, Atmospheric Science, Plant Physiology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Computational Science, Applied Math, and Geotechnical Engineering.

Location: This position will be located in Los Alamos, NM.

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.

Note to Applicants:

Please include a CV with a publication list and a cover letter addressing your background and vision as they fulfill the job requirements and desired skills.
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.
No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.
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 Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Incentive Compensation Program: Position is eligible to participate in the Triad Incentive Compensation Program.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or preference, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.Employment StatusFull Time