The partnership of the Department of Energy, the FermiForward Discovery Group (FFDG), and the FFDG Board of Directors, invites nominations and applications for the role of Fermilab’s Director.

Reporting to the FermiForward Discovery Group, LLC’s chair, Paul Alivisatos, the Director will be responsible for leading and managing the Laboratory’s extraordinary staff, exceptional scientific programs, and operational support systems, and for fostering and developing relationships with Fermilab’s global stakeholders and partners, including the broader high energy physics community. The Director will represent and serve as the voice of the global high energy physics community as well as championing the laboratory’s emerging science initiatives. The Director will also be the proponent for achieving excellence in operational and business systems necessary for the delivery of the scientific programs.

The Director will lead the execution of the vision for the full spectrum of Fermilab, including responsibility for DUNE, an international flagship experiment to unlock the mysteries of neutrinos. The Director will also ensure the successful development of the LBNF project, which is closely coupled to the DUNE experiment and is currently under construction at Fermilab and at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota. The Director will also be responsible for Fermilab’s broader research programs and projects, including the laboratory’s major science initiatives. 

In addition to these programmatic imperatives, the Director will play a pivotal role in championing the Laboratory’s emerging scientific initiatives — including efforts in artificial intelligence, quantum science, and microelectronics — which are critical to maintaining and expanding Fermilab’s relevance and impact across the broader scientific and technological landscape.

The Director will build and maintain strong support for Fermilab’s associated projects and programs from the global scientific community and secure the resources to execute the vision from the Department of Energy and other sponsors. The Director will also seek to expand Fermilab’s research portfolio into new domains of science and technology in collaboration with other national laboratories and research institutions in the US and abroad.

Because of the scale and breadth of the Fermilab programs, the Director will be expected to cultivate the international participation and resources that will play an increasingly critical role in the future of the Laboratory and its science, while maintaining US research security.

The Director will be accountable for fostering a positive organizational culture that is conducive to ground-breaking research and development, driving execution, attracting, and retaining an outstanding and engaged workforce, and delivering results in an environment striving for operational excellence and efficiency.

While each candidate will possess strengths in different measures, the successful candidate will bring a majority of the following qualifications to the role:

• A record of visionary leadership, strategic thinking and planning, and leadership experience and accomplishments, particularly in a DOE National Laboratory or other complex research setting.
• Scientific excellence demonstrated by a track record of scientific achievement, international collaboration, and strong credentials, along with the skills and attributes to serve as a voice of the global High Energy and Particle Physics field, as well as to serve as a champion of the laboratory’s emerging science initiatives.
• Strong working knowledge of DOE missions, priorities, organizations, and programs.
• A record of successfully delivering large science program and demonstrated ability to lead a large, complex organization with multiple stakeholders and significant operational risk and financial complexity. The candidate will also reflect the ability to integrate, align, and balance operational and scientific objectives and initiatives.
• The skills necessary to communicate directly and effectively with multiple constituencies, including the Department of Energy, other appropriate federal, state, and global funding agencies, business and industry, university and research groups, the media, elected officials and their staffs in Washington, D.C., the States of Illinois and South Dakota, and the Midwest region. The candidate must also have the skills to cultivate vibrant and productive collaborations with Fermilab’s multiple international partners.
• A track record of attracting, motivating, and retaining world-class scientific and operational talent, building a productive organizational culture, and developing future scientific and technical leaders.
• The ability and willingness to hold a DOE security clearance.

The full position description can be viewed here.

The expected annual base salary for this position is $400,000 to $700,000. Please note that this salary range information is a general guideline only. The base salary offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations and external market pay for comparable jobs and is also subject to Department of Energy requirements and approvals. The successful candidate may also be eligible for additional incentive compensation opportunities. Fermilab offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, details of which can be found at https://fermilab.jobs/fermilab-advantage/

Fermilab and Fermi Forward Discovery Group have engaged Opus Partners to lead the search for the next Director of Fermilab. Craig V. Smith, Senior Partner, Ann K. Adams, Associate Partner, Abigail Maynard, Managing Associate, and Marisea Rivera, Senior Associate, are supporting the search. Please contact Opus via fermilab@opuspartners.net to learn more about the opportunity or to provide a nomination.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Fermilab is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.