Accelerator Removal and Installation System Lead

Berkeley Lab is looking for an Accelerator Removal and Installation System Lead responsible for the overall management, integration, and delivery of the accelerator removal and installation portion within the ALS-U Project, an upgrade for the Advanced Light Source (ALS), a prominent National User Facility. This is a unique chance to work with highly advanced technologies and contribute to enabling world-class research. The ALS-U project is currently completing its final designs and transitioning into actual construction and installation. Therefore, the position is rewarding for someone looking to make a significant contribution to a leading scientific institution and shape the future of accelerator science and engineering. Join us and be part of this groundbreaking journey!

The primary responsibilities of this position include planning and executing the removal of an existing storage ring and the subsequent installation of a new state-of-the-art storage ring. The position oversees a team of mechanical and electrical engineers planning the removal and installation, a team of engineers maintaining the CAD installation and facility models, a team of engineers developing detailed cost and scheduling plans for a > 1-year installation phase, and a team of system engineers ensuring work is well integrated across all technical systems. Although the new storage ring is the crown jewel of the new installation, significant effort needs to be devoted to electrical installations, including the placement of large rack banks, plus cable tray and cable routing arrays. The role also includes planning for subsystem integrated testing and validation, and preparing the transfer of installed and qualified equipment to the project commissioning team. The Accelerator Removal and Installation Systems Lead will also oversee the ALS-U technician pool and ensure that the technicians are appropriately assigned to each technical subsystem of the entire project.

Due to the nature of the position, the Accelerator Removal and Installation Systems Lead needs to interface with many different stakeholders who sometimes have competing interests. In addition, the role requires flexibility and acute awareness of construction safety since installation occurs inside an existing facility with sometimes unknown conditions. The role demands a highly proactive and technically skilled leader with experience in accelerators or large-scale scientific construction efforts, adept at managing project phases and risks, developing robust subsystem interfaces, and capable of leading medium to large engineering teams in the cross-functional area between engineering, physics, and operations.

Reporting to the Facility Installation and Integration Technical Project Manager, the Accelerator Removal and Installation Systems Lead ensures that all technical, schedule, and resource objectives for removal and installation are met. This involves coordinating closely with other project technical leads and CAMs (Control Account Managers). The System Lead is the single point of leadership for the accelerator removal and installation, aligning various technical teams' efforts and ensuring the system's deliverables integrate smoothly into the larger project.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leadership: Ensure the project execution delivers a premier facility enabling world-class research. Contribute to the professional growth of the scientific staff. Engage with the worldwide accelerator scientists and engineers community, actively contribute to workshops or conferences, and publish results.
• System Integration: Ensures the seamless integration of all technical sub-systems and components. Oversees technical coherence, ensuring that interfaces between components are well-managed and the system functions as an integrated whole, meeting its performance requirements.
• Technical Oversight: Provides strategic technical guidance and decision-making for the system. Reviews and approves technical designs and solutions proposed by Technical Leads, ensuring they meet system requirements and adhere to project-wide engineering standards set by the Chief Engineer.
• Schedule and Cost Management: Has cost and schedule accountability as the system's primary CAM and Technical Lead for on-time and on-budget delivery. Monitors system-level schedule milestones and cost expenditures, coordinating adjustments with CAMs to address any variances. Report to the Project Delivery Board on their systems accomplishment, threats, schedule, and cost performance, vendor and QA performance, and milestone forecasts.
• Risk Management: Identifies system-level risks (technical risks, schedule risks, resource risks) and manages their mitigation. Works with CAMs to analyze schedule/cost risks and with Technical Leads to address technical risks. Escalates significant risks to the Technical Project Manager and contributes to broader project risk registers as needed.
• Interface Management: Manages interfaces within the system and externally. Ensures interface requirements are clearly defined and cross-system issues are resolved in collaboration with other System Leads and the Chief Engineer.
• Resource Coordination: Coordinates with CAMs to ensure optimal allocation of people, equipment, and budget across the system's various tasks. Adjusts resource distribution to align with project priorities and constraints, and communicates needs or surplus to the Technical Project Manager.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Oversees vendor and partner contributions for the system. Acts as the primary point of contact for system-specific external stakeholders or vendors, ensuring that contractors meet technical and contractual requirements. Coordinates with the procurement team and quality assurance on vendor performance issues if they arise.
• Reporting: Provides regular status updates on system progress to the Technical Project Manager. Reports include technical performance, achievement of milestones, current spend vs. budget, and any emerging issues, along with recommended actions.

What is Required:

• Education: Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) or equivalent experience in Physics, Engineering, or a related field with 8+ years of experience and deep knowledge of particle accelerators, beamlines, detectors, or similar large-scale scientific or industrial installations.
• Technical Leadership: The ability to provide clear direction, inspire confidence, and guide technical teams (subsystem leads, engineers) towards achieving project goals. This includes setting technical vision, fostering collaboration, and driving decision-making. A hands-on attitude is an absolute must, and hands-on familiarity with CAD and finite element design is needed.
• Accelerator or Large-Scale R&D Experience: A strong understanding of accelerator systems or similar complex, large-scale scientific or engineering projects. This includes familiarity with such systems' technical challenges, design considerations, and operational aspects.
• Project Management Expertise: Proven ability to manage project phases, timelines, budgets, and resources effectively. This encompasses planning, scheduling, tracking progress, and ensuring on-time and within-budget delivery.
• System Integration Acumen: Deep understanding of system-level thinking and the ability to ensure seamless integration of various technical subsystems and components. This includes defining and managing interfaces, resolving integration challenges, and providing overall system functionality.
• Technical Oversight and Decision-Making: Ability to provide strategic technical guidance, review and approve technical designs, and make sound engineering decisions that align with project requirements and standards.
• Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to effectively engage and manage relationships with various stakeholders, including subsystem technical leads, CAMs, the Technical Project Manager, the Chief Engineer, vendors, and partners. This includes clear communication of technical and project information.
• Reporting and Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to provide clear and concise status updates, reports on technical performance, schedule, and budget, and to effectively communicate with diverse audiences.

Desired Qualifications:

• Expertise in systems engineering, QA, and Project Lifecycle Management. Experience with DOE 413.3B projects.
• Familiarity with EVMS and Primavera P6.
• Strong reputation and network within the national and international scientific community in particle accelerators, beamlines, detectors, or large-scale scientific projects.
• PMP Certification.

Required Application Materials:

• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter
• Publication list

Notes:

• This is a full-time career appointment, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay.
• This position is expected to pay $157,000 - $192,000 annually, which fits within the full salary range of $139,752 - $235,848 for the Engineer 4 classification. Candidates with a significant research publication record and a detailed research statement may be considered for a Staff Scientist/Engineer position, which is expected to pay $169,000 - $237,000 annually, and fits within the full salary range of $126,874 - $304,509 for a Staff Scientist/Engineer classification. Classification and salary will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualification and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications, and will be aligned with internal peers.
• This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work will be primarily performed at: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. This is not a remote position.

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.

Berkeley Lab is a University of California employer. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.