Directorate Chief Operating Officer (DCOO)

Application Note: Brookhaven National Laboratory is recruiting for two Directorate Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) positions: one in the Facilities & Infrastructure Projects (FIP) Directorate and one in the Innovation, Science, and Security (ISS) Directorate. Please specify in your cover letter which role you are applying for. If you would like to be considered for both positions, please indicate that in your cover letter as well. For full consideration, submit your application by August 11, 2026.

Reporting to the Associate Laboratory Director (ALD), the Directorate Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) serves as the senior operational leader for the Directorate and is responsible for the overall operational governance, strategic planning, and operational performance of the Directorate. Working in partnership with the ALD, the DCOO provides strategic leadership, governance, and executive oversight of Directorate operations to ensure the safe, secure, compliant, efficient, and integrated execution of the Directorate's scientific and technical mission.

The DCOO establishes Directorate-wide operational requirements, policies, priorities, governance processes, and management practices by interpreting and flowing down institutional requirements and aligning operational resources with Directorate priorities. The position provides executive oversight of the Directorate's scientific user facilities, research infrastructure, operational assurance, work planning and control, business operations, operational readiness, and infrastructure planning to ensure the safe, secure, compliant, efficient, and integrated execution of the Directorate's mission. The DCOO ensures consistent implementation of operational requirements, management systems, and institutional expectations across all Divisions.

The DCOO serves as the ALD's principal advisor on operational matters and provides functional leadership to the Deputy for Operations. Although the Deputy for Operations report administratively to their respective Division Directors, they are functionally accountable to the DCOO for implementing Directorate operational requirements, policies, priorities, and institutional expectations. The DCOO is accountable for integrating mission delivery with operational excellence across the Directorate.

Major responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Directorate Governance & Operational Leadership

• Partner with the Associate Laboratory Director (ALD) to establish the Directorate's operational strategy, governance framework, priorities, and performance expectations in support of the Directorate's scientific mission.
• Establish Directorate operational requirements, policies, procedures, standards, and governance processes.
• Interpret and flow down Laboratory and Department of Energy (DOE) requirements to ensure consistent implementation across all Divisions.
• Establish operational governance, accountability, and performance management processes throughout the Directorate.
• Represent the Directorate on Laboratory operational councils, governance committees, and cross-functional working groups.

Strategic Planning & Resource Management

• Lead Directorate strategy for infrastructure planning, facility operations, and long-range strategic initiatives.
• Prioritize Directorate operational improvement initiatives and recommend allocation of Directorate and Laboratory resources to enhance safety, operational effectiveness, and mission delivery.
• Partner with Division Directors to align operational resources, infrastructure, and staffing with Directorate priorities and mission needs.
• Lead operational integration across Divisions and Laboratory support organizations to improve efficiency, consistency, and mission delivery.
• Monitor operational risks and recommend strategies to optimize organizational effectiveness, mission delivery and mitigate risk.

Operational Assurance

• Establish and implement the Directorate Self-Assessment Program and operational assurance framework and oversee execution across all Divisions.
• Monitor operational performance through assessments, metrics, dashboards, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Manage significant operational events and issues; develop and execute corrective action plans for Directorate-level incidents. Provide oversight as needed in significant division level events.
• Ensure effective implementation of Laboratory management systems, including work planning and control, Conduct of Operations, Integrated Safety Management, Quality Assurance, and other institutional operational programs to support the safe, secure, compliant, and effective execution of scientific and technical work.
• Ensure operational readiness of the Directorate's scientific user facilities, laboratories, and research infrastructure in support of scientific mission delivery.
• Promote continuous improvement to strengthen operational effectiveness, compliance, and organizational performance.

Functional Leadership

• Support the Deputy Director of Operations in development and implementation of operational requirements, priorities and programs. Serve as a change leader for improvements and driving a culture to support a strong safety and operational culture.
• Provide functional leadership and operational direction to the Deputy for Operations while respecting their administrative reporting relationship to their respective Division Directors.
• Approve strategic operational hires within the Directorate, including Deputy for Operations.
• Provide input to the ALD and Division Directors regarding the performance goals and annual performance evaluations of the Deputy for Operations.
• Foster collaboration among Division operational leaders to promote consistency, operational excellence, and the sharing of best practices across the Directorate.

Institutional Leadership

• Lead Directorate operational improvement initiatives that enhance organizational effectiveness, strengthen operational integration, improve service delivery, and support the Directorate's long-term strategic objectives.
• Serve as the Directorate's principal operational liaison with Laboratory support organizations, DOE, collaborating institutions, and other external partners on operational matters.
• Provide executive operational leadership to support the safe, reliable, and effective operation of the Directorate's scientific user facilities, research infrastructure, and business operations.
• Ensure operational readiness, reliability, and compliance in support of scientific users and mission delivery.
• Coordinate operational priorities across scientific facilities to maximize availability, safety, and organizational effectiveness.

Accountability

The Directorate Chief Operating Officer is accountable to the Deputy Director of Operations, Associate Laboratory Director and applicable Management System Stewards for:

• Establishing and maintaining Directorate operational governance, policies, and standards.
• Interpreting and implementing institutional operational requirements across the Directorate.
• Directorate operational performance, operational assurance, and organizational effectiveness.
• Strategic operational planning, infrastructure planning, and operational resource allocation.
• Approval of corrective action plans for significant operational events.
• Functional leadership, operational oversight, and performance input for the Deputy for Operations.
• Ensuring consistent implementation of Directorate operational requirements, management systems, and operational priorities across all Divisions.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, science, public administration, or related field.
• Twelve (12) years' related experience, including a minimum of eight (8) years executive level management/leadership experience within a project or program.
• Extensive progressively responsible leadership experience managing complex operational organizations supporting scientific, research, technical, or similarly complex environments.
• Demonstrated success developing organizational strategy, governance, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience leading large cross-functional organizations through organizational change and continuous improvement.
• Significant financial, operational, and workforce planning experience.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, collaboration, and relationship management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across organizational boundaries and build consensus among senior leaders.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced degree in business, engineering, science, public administration, or related field.
• Knowledge of DOE, national laboratory, or similarly regulated research environments.

Application Note: Brookhaven National Laboratory is recruiting for two Directorate Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) positions: one in the Facilities & Infrastructure Projects (FIP) Directorate and one in the Innovation, Science, and Security (ISS) Directorate. Please specify in your cover letter which role you are applying for. If you would like to be considered for both positions, please indicate that in your cover letter as well. For full consideration, submit your application by August 11, 2026.

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