Energy Material Sciences, Group Manager

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), a national laboratory under the stewardship of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM), is seeking an accomplished and collaborative Group Manager to lead the Energy Material Sciences group within the newly formed Energy Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Division, part of the Science, Energy, and Innovation (SEI) Directorate.

Energy Material Sciences is one of four founding groups within ESE, alongside Advanced Manufacturing and Automation, Fusion Energy and Isotope Science, and Research Computing and Computational Sciences. The group advances materials science that underpins the nation’s energy mission and critical minerals security—materials for the nuclear fuel cycle and radiological environments, materials for fusion and extreme environments, intermetallic and nanoscale materials for advanced manufacturing, and processing science for critical minerals and rare earth elements. The Group Manager ensures research is deep, rigorous, and connected to the laboratory’s mission trajectory.

As a line leader reporting to the ESE Division Director, the Group Manager stewardships, develops, and supports the group’s people and facilities; fosters an environment where materials research thrives; and executes technical work aligned with the Division Director and SRNL leadership. The Group Manager also cultivates external partnerships with DOE program offices, industry, and universities to connect research to mission needs and sustain external investment.

This role requires deep technical credibility in energy materials science, a demonstrated record of developing researchers and research leaders, and the judgment to prioritize across a portfolio spanning multiple materials domains and technology readiness levels. Success is measured by the group’s impact, staff development and retention, external partnerships and funding, and operational and safety excellence.

People Development and Culture Building

• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a high-caliber materials science staff. Identify and grow the next generation of technical leaders within the group.
• Reinforce the division’s operating culture, values, and norms around scientific rigor, collaboration, psychological safety, inclusion, and accountability at the group level. Set the day-to-day tone for how the group works together.
• Create an environment where researchers are supported, developed, and enabled to do their best work. Manage performance, allocate staff and resources across the group’s project portfolio, and make sound personnel and investment decisions.
• Foster a strong safety culture and ensure all group work—in laboratory, fabrication, and characterization activities—is planned and executed safely and in full compliance with environmental, safety, health, quality, and security requirements appropriate to a radiological and nuclear research environment.

Science Stewardship and Execution

• Work with the ESE Division Director to understand the division’s strategic direction and mission priorities, and translate that direction into the group’s technical portfolio and resource allocation.
• Steward the scientific quality, rigor, and reputation of the group’s work across core domains—nuclear fuel cycle and radiological/actinide materials, fusion and extreme-environment materials, intermetallic and nanoscale materials for advanced manufacturing, and critical minerals and rare earth processing science. Serve as a credible scientific voice to sponsors, peers, and the external research community.
• Identify high-value materials science opportunities that align with DOE mission needs, SRNL priorities, and the group’s capabilities. Present opportunities to inform division and directorate strategy.
• Ensure the group has the equipment, characterization tools, talent, and partnerships needed to execute its missions effectively and on time, with capability investments sequenced to reflect the science direction.
• Partner with the Advanced Manufacturing and Automation, Fusion Energy and Isotope Science, and Research Computing and Computational Sciences groups so that materials science is embedded in technology development and computational work it supports.

External Partnership and Ecosystem Development

• Cultivate strategic partnerships outside the DOE—industry engagement, university collaborations, and national laboratory partnerships—to strengthen capabilities and expand funding and impact.
• Lead and mentor staff in building and deepening external relationships. Position the group as a credible, trusted materials science partner to industry and academia.
• Increase SRNL’s standing in energy materials science through publications, presentations, professional leadership, and strategic external relationships.
• Support the Division Director and Directorate in engaging relevant DOE program offices and translate those relationships into a healthy, diversified project portfolio.

Operational Excellence and Business Performance

• Manage the group’s budget, financial performance, and equipment and infrastructure needs. Ensure delivery of high-quality work on scope, schedule, and budget.
• Establish group-level metrics, reporting cadences, and accountability structures. Track and communicate progress to the Division Director.
• Work within the SRNL matrix to align group capabilities with program priorities; surface challenges and opportunities for division and directorate strategic planning.

Leadership Competencies

• Technical credibility – deep, current expertise in at least one core area of energy materials science, with breadth to engage across the portfolio.
• People leadership – ability to recruit talent, develop researchers into leaders, foster psychological safety, and enable accountability and continuous improvement.
• Portfolio judgment – prioritize across domains and TRLs, making resourcing decisions that connect science to mission needs.
• Collaborative matrix leadership – navigate ambiguity and build alignment across ESE groups and SRNL’s program office structure.
• Business and operational acumen – comfort with budgets, metrics, and performance management; connect resources to outcomes.
• External relationship building – establish trust with sponsors, industry, and universities; translate relationships into funded work.
• Founding-group mindset – build structures and norms for a group taking shape, documenting decisions for future teams.
• Integrity and unwavering commitment to safety – personal integrity that sets the tone for the group; zero tolerance for shortcuts on safety, quality, or ethics.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in materials science and engineering, chemistry, physics, or a closely related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Significant progressive experience in materials research and leadership, including direct management or mentorship of technical staff. Minimum 7+ years of relevant experience.
• Deep technical credibility in at least one energy materials domain with breadth to engage across adjacent domains.
• Commitment to and accountability for safety in a research environment; experience in radiological or complex environments is a plus.
• Track record of developing technical talent and cultivating the next generation of research leaders.
• Proven ability to work effectively in matrix environments, partnering with peer leaders and sponsors to align direction and execute missions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to represent the group credibly to sponsors, DOE leadership, external partners, and internal staff.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a DOE national laboratory, federal research environment, or comparable mission-driven organization.
• Direct research or applied experience in one or more: nuclear fuel cycle or actinide/radiological materials, fusion or plasma-facing materials, materials for extreme environments, intermetallic or magnetic materials, nanomaterials and advanced characterization, additive manufacturing materials, or critical minerals and rare earth processing.
• Established relationships with relevant DOE program offices and credibility in the national research communities.
• Experience building strategic partnerships with industry, universities, and other national laboratories.
• Track record of growing a research portfolio and securing external funding.
• Experience contributing to or standing up a new group, program, or research area within a larger organization.

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