OverviewAt PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.
Our directorates related to Mission Support & Operations include Office of General Counsel, Business Services, Communications and External Engagement, Operational Systems, Communications and Information Technology, and Performance Management.
At PNNL, our Computing and Information Technology organization is redefining how we work and innovate by reimagining the digital workplace. We empower research and streamline operations—making both faster, smarter, and more efficient—so our professionals can tackle some of the world's toughest challenges in science, energy, and national security. Our experts in AI, cybersecurity, design, and engineering work side by side, using real-time insights and human-centered design to break down barriers. Ready to make your mark on tomorrow? Come work with us.
ResponsibilitiesThe Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Computing & Information Technology Directorate (CITD) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory plays a pivotal leadership role in enabling our capabilities to deliver the digital infrastructure that powers the Laboratory’s scientific discovery and national security mission.
This role is a trusted strategic partner and operational leader reporting to the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and Associate Laboratory Director. The COO role is a key member of the CITD senior leadership team (SLT), serving as a connector and facilitator that brings the team together to execute and operationalize our priorities. This role is pivotal in turning vision into action, ensuring disciplined execution across the digital products, computing platforms, and infrastructure that power PNNL’s mission.
As the COO, you will help shape how we operate, aligning strategic priorities with organizational performance, people strategy, and risk and performance management. You will drive operational excellence, foster collaboration, and enable innovation in a dynamic, rapidly evolving environment.
Positions comprised predominantly of information technology, cybersecurity and computing management responsibilities, with significant span of control and/or delegated authority and responsibility. These positions generally manage multi-disciplinary organizations delivering capabilities to the broader laboratory or specifically to research functions, through staff leaders or subordinate managers. Management decisions impact objectives, goals and long-term success of IT, research and business partners and the Laboratory.
- Act as a key advisor to the CDO and partner to the CITD senior leadership team, translating vision into actionable initiatives and aligning resources across the directorate and our operational divisions.
- Partner with the CDO and SLT to drive and facilitate the development and refinement of the PNNL’s digital infrastructure strategy, and our strategic priorities, keeping pace with changing science and technology and operational priorities at the laboratory.
- Develop and steward the directorate workforce and people strategy and other people activities, such as quarterly people reviews, annual performance management, succession planning, and learning and development.
- Be the directorate culture champion, cultivating a culture of curiosity and continuous improvement learning and change resilience, working with teams and leaders across the directorate to foster staff empowerment, decentralized decision-making, and increase the effectiveness of communication and drive transparency.
- Serve as an external and lab-wide advocate for CITD and collaborate with senior research and operational leaders across PNNL to develop a comprehensive understanding of digital requirements to support the mission, leveraging that insight to shape our investment strategies and priorities for laboratory operations.
- Own and oversee the directorate risk management and performance assurance practices, working with our M&O program managers to surface key risk and performance indicators in support of directorate and laboratory performance management requirements.
- Represent CITD on the PNNL Operations Council and serve as an empowered delegate to the CDO in Lab Leadership Team (PNNL executive team) meetings, external interactions and any other venue where CDO participation is precluded.
- Oversee the directorate non-research overhead (NRO) budget, partnered with the business office, and partner with the SLT on annual budget planning and resource allocation to support strategic priorities, including stewardship of our internal strategic investment portfolio.
- Partner and coordinate with the Executive Assistant to optimize leadership team workflows, ensure timely execution of priorities, and maintain alignment across calendars, governance forums, and stakeholder engagements. Leverage the Executive Assistant as a strategic partner for information flow, meeting preparation, and follow-up actions to enhance organizational effectiveness.
- Experience operating in highly regulated environments (DOE, federal, national lab, or similar).
QualificationsMinimum Qualifications:
- BS/BA and 15 years work experience -OR-
- MS/MA or higher and 13 years of experience
Preferred Qualifications:
- Progressively higher leadership responsibilities in computing or high-tempo operations. Significant executive and leadership-level domain experience and expertise in one or more information technology or computing domains and disciplines.
- Strong people leadership, talent development, and commitment to people as a strategic asset to the organization.
- Proven success influencing executives and cross-functional teams without direct authority; able to negotiate with and influence others internally and externally, with great latitude on outcomes.
- Known as a thought leader, integrating functional and business knowledge to anticipate changing mission, business, and technology direction.
- Exceptional communication, presentation skills, and executive presence; ability to synthesize complex information for communication and executive decision-making.
- Strategic and conceptual thinking skills with a creative approach, curiosity, continuous learning, and AI-enabled work advocate.
- Ability to bring product management mindset and approach to a variety of digital innovation challenges and initiatives.
- Core Competencies:
- Strong Planning, Project Management, Coordination, and Organizational Skills: Ability to collaborate with a senior team of peers to drive and influence outcomes.
- Operational Strategy & Execution:
- Translates strategy into measurable operational plans and measurements of outcomes (KPIs, etc.); meets or exceeds operational SLAs and milestones.
- Risk Management and Compliance Leader:
- Applies risk management frameworks and approaches; translates DOE requirements into operational and technical requirements.
- Technical Depth in Computing & Information Technology:
- Possesses a deep understanding of digital systems and infrastructure including computing ecosystems, data architectures, applications, devices, networks and cybersecurity.
- Stakeholder & Partner Collaboration and Management:
- Effectively navigates the laboratory operations model, research and operational stakeholder engagements, and external partnerships effectively.
Hazardous Working Conditions/EnvironmentWork will primarily be in office settings with occasional lab or field visits.
Additional InformationThis position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance.
A security clearance background investigation includes review of your employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with you and your personal references, neighbors, and co-workers to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines your foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.
Requirements:
- U.S. Citizenship
- Background Investigation: Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
- Drug Testing: All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).
Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.
Testing Designated PositionThis position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). The candidate selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing for illegal drugs, including marijuana, consistent with the Controlled Substances Act and the PNNL Workplace Substance Abuse Program.
About PNNLPacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world-class research institution powered by a highly educated, diverse workforce committed to the values of Integrity, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Courage. Every year, scores of dynamic, driven people come to PNNL to work with renowned researchers on meaningful science, innovations and outcomes for the U.S. Department of Energy and other sponsors; here is your chance to be one of them!
At PNNL, you will find an exciting research environment and excellent benefits including health insurance, and flexible work schedules. PNNL is located in eastern Washington State—the dry side of Washington known for its stellar outdoor recreation and affordable cost of living. The Lab’s campus is only a 45-minute flight (or ~3 hour drive) from Seattle or Portland, and is serviced by the convenient PSC airport, connected to 8 major hubs.
Commitment to Excellence and Equal Employment OpportunityOur laboratory is committed to fostering a work environment where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect while solving critical challenges in fundamental sciences, national security, and energy resiliency. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. PNNL considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), protected veteran status, and any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local laws.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures and in employment. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, contact us at careers@pnnl.gov.
Drug Free WorkplacePNNL is committed to a drug-free workplace supported by Workplace Substance Abuse Program (WSAP) and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs.
If you are offered employment at PNNL, you must pass a drug test prior to commencing employment. PNNL complies with federal law regarding illegal drug use. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug. If you test positive for any illegal controlled substance, including marijuana, your offer of employment will be withdrawn.
Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility RequirementsAs a national laboratory, PNNL is responsible for adhering to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which require new employees to obtain and maintain a HSPD-12 Personal Identify Verification (PIV) Credential. To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete the applicable tier of federal background investigation post hire and receive a favorable federal adjudication. The tier of federal background investigation will be determined by job duties and national security or public trust responsibilities associated with the job. All tiers of investigation include a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last 1 to 7 years (depending on the applicable tier of investigation). Illegal drug activities include marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.
For foreign national candidates:
If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) Federal risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement thereafter, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment. The tier of federal background investigation required to obtain the PIV credential will be determined by job duties at the time you become eligible for the PIV credential.
Mandatory RequirementsPlease be aware that the Department of Energy (DOE) prohibits DOE employees and contractors from having any affiliation with the foreign government of a country DOE has identified as a “country of risk” without explicit approval by DOE and Battelle. If you are offered a position at PNNL and currently have any affiliation with the government of one of these countries, you will be required to disclose this information and recuse yourself of that affiliation or receive approval from DOE and Battelle prior to your first day of employment.
Rockstar RewardsEmployees and their families are offered medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, robust telehealth care options, several mental health benefits, free wellness coaching, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, basic life insurance, disability insurance*, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, tuition assistance, relocation, backup childcare, legal benefits, supplemental parental bonding leave, surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support. Employees are automatically enrolled in our company-funded pension plan* and may enroll in our 401 (k) savings plan with company match*. Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year and may receive ten paid holidays per year.
* Research Associates excluded.
**All benefits are dependent upon eligibility.
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Notice to ApplicantsPNNL lists the full pay range for the position in the job posting. Starting pay is calculated from the minimum of the pay range and actual placement in the range is determined based on an individual’s relevant job-related skills, qualifications, and experience. This approach is applicable to all positions, with the exception of positions governed by collective bargaining agreements and certain limited-term positions which have specific pay rules.
As part of our commitment to fair compensation practices, we do not ask for or consider current or past salaries in making compensation offers at hire. Instead, our compensation offers are determined by the specific requirements of the position, prevailing market trends, applicable collective bargaining agreements, pay equity for the position type, and individual qualifications and skills relevant to the performance of the position.
Minimum SalaryUSD $238,500.00/Yr.
Maximum SalaryUSD $376,900.00/Yr.
