Requisition Id 17267
Overview:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory seeks an accomplished and strategically minded leader to serve as Lead, External Recognitions and Honorific Awards within the Office of Research Education (ORE). The Lead will guide the Laboratory’s efforts to advance external recognitions and honorific awards for ORNL staff by developing and executing a comprehensive, data-informed strategy to identify, nominate, and support candidates for prestigious national and international awards, fellowships, academy memberships, foundation honors, federal recognitions, and professional society honors.
This role is embedded within ORE’s established recognition infrastructure. The Lead will work through ORE’s Academic Analytics partnership, recognition data tools, directorate points of contact, recognition champions and committees, communications partners, early-career programming, strategic academic partnerships, and external advisory relationships. ORE provides central coordination, data, standards, and process support; directorates and scientific leaders provide disciplinary judgment, technical narratives, candidate validation, and peer relationships that make nominations competitive.
The Lead will work collaboratively across directorates to provide insight, coordination, and guidance that strengthen nomination efforts for discipline-specific professional societies and organizations, while also managing top-tier and limited-submission nominations that span the Laboratory.
The role requires a deep familiarity with the professional scientific societies, academies, and foundations that confer these honors. Over time, the Lead will develop a broad understanding of achievements across ORNL's interdisciplinary science and technology portfolio and serve as a trusted partner to Laboratory leadership, directorate leaders, communications teams, nominators, and external recognition bodies.
Strategic Context:
External recognition is a critical expression of ORNL’s scientific excellence, mission impact, and standing in the national and international research community. ORNL researchers contribute to national priorities across energy, materials, computing, biology, neutron science, nuclear science, national security, and other fields. The Lead will help ensure that these achievements are visible and competitive in external recognition channels.
The External Recognitions and Honorific Awards portfolio is one of ORE’s core missions, alongside postdoctoral and early-career development, strategic academic partnerships, and education and workforce development. These capabilities reinforce one another: early-career programs support long-term recognition pathways; academic partnerships extend ORNL’s relationships with universities, academies, and societies; and ORE’s data and analytics infrastructure supports candidate discovery, opportunity tracking, and leadership reporting.
Laboratory Research strategy is set by the Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology in partnership with the Associate Laboratory Directors. Within that framework, the Lead sets the objectives and approach for the recognition portfolio, advises scientific leadership on priorities, and translates ORNL's scientific strengths into competitive external recognition through partnership with directorates, communications teams, and recognition bodies.
Major Duties/Responsibilities:
- Strategic Leadership: Set the laboratory-wide direction for external recognitions and honorific awards, determining objectives and approach with broad latitude. Develop, implement, and continuously improve a strategy that aligns with ORNL's scientific strengths, mission impact, and reputational priorities, and advise leadership on recognition priorities.
- Operating Model and Directorate Support: Lead and strengthen the recognition operating framework.
- Top-Tier and Limited-Submission Awards: Galvanize, lead, and coordinate ORNL nominations for high-prestige, cross-directorate, and limited-submission awards, ensuring rigorous candidate review, high-quality nomination packages, external letter coordination, leadership alignment, and timely submission.
- Candidate Identification and Award Pathway Planning: Leverage experience, statistical tools such as those provided by Academic Analytics, impact evidence, professional society intelligence, and award criteria to identify strong candidates and map recognition pathways across career stages, disciplines, directorates, and award types. Work proactively with directorate points of contact, recognition champions, committees, and scientific leaders to surface candidates, clarify roles, strengthen nomination readiness, and support consistent pipeline development across the Laboratory. Watch for ad-hoc, time-sensitive opportunities — such as open calls for nominations to study panels, committees, and advisory roles that can serve as pathways to academy membership and other honors — and position candidates to pursue them when the timing is right.
- Nomination Development: Collaborate with nominators, recommenders, reviewers, and communications staff to craft compelling nomination materials that effectively articulate the originality, impact, leadership, and significance of ORNL scientists’ contributions. Develop inclusive recognition practices that surface excellent candidates across disciplines, career stages, appointment types, collaboration patterns, and historical nomination practices.
- Data, Metrics, and Impact Tracking: Serve as ORE’s primary lead for Academic Analytics and related recognition data tools. Maintain the ORNL priority recognition set, tracking systems, online resources, counting rules, baselines, and outcomes reporting. Use analytics as decision support, not as a substitute for scientific judgment.
- Culture and Mentorship: Promote a culture that celebrates scientific excellence by offering workshops, mentoring, guidance, example materials, and impact-narrative resources for staff, line managers, and nominators pursuing recognition pathways.
- Early-Career Recognition Interface: Work with ORE’s postdoctoral and early-career communities to increase award pathway awareness and preparedness, including giving guidance on strong research impact statements.
- External Relations: Represent ORNL, ORE, and directorates with professional societies, academies, foundations, federal recognition programs, prior awardees, external nominators, and selection-committee veterans to strengthen ORNL’s visibility, intelligence, and engagement.
- Continuity and Knowledge Transfer: Capture decision protocols, process templates, nomination calendars, resource libraries, and institutional memory to ensure the long-term durability of the recognition portfolio.
- The Lead is expected to deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.
Expected Impact in the First 12-18 Months:
- Operationalize workflows for the use of statistical tools such as Academic Analytics from candidate discovery and award matching through human validation, nomination planning, submission tracking, and post-cycle learning.
- Confirm the priority recognition set with the Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology and the Associate Laboratory Directors, including baselines, and leading indicators for future honorific awards.
- Deliver the first year-end recognition pipeline and outcomes summary to Laboratory leadership, with forward-looking improvement actions.
- Stabilize the hub-and-spoke operating model, including directorate point-of-contact coverage, recognition champion or committee pathways, and governance cadence.
- Launch workshops and reusable resources that improve nomination quality, impact narratives, and recognition readiness across directorates and early-career cohorts.
Basic Qualifications:
- Advanced degree required.
- Ph.D. with a minimum of seven years of relevant professional experience, or a MS/MA degree with ten or more years, or an equivalent combination of advanced education and experience, in research, scientific administration, research development, faculty affairs, external recognition, strategic proposal development, scientific communications, professional society leadership, foundation relations, or a related research-intensive environment.
- Demonstrated understanding of the breadth of scientific disciplines represented at ORNL or a comparable multidisciplinary science and technology organization, such as an R1 university, including the ability to engage credibly with scientists and technical leaders across diverse domains.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with particular strength in crafting persuasive nomination materials and scientific impact narratives.
- Comfort with data-informed decision-making, including an appreciation for research analytics and metrics (such as Academic Analytics or comparable tools) and how they support candidate identification, benchmarking, and portfolio tracking, recognizing that analytics inform but do not replace scientific judgment.
- Demonstrated ability to identify, position, and support researchers, scientists, faculty, or technical experts for prestigious awards, honors, fellowships, memberships, grants, or comparable external distinctions.
- Demonstrated ability to build, run, or materially strengthen a recognition, awards, research-development, or faculty-affairs effort (or comparable), including its strategy, operations, and outcomes — whether as its leader or as a central contributor.
- Familiarity with national and international scientific societies, academies, foundations, federal recognition programs, and associated award landscapes.
- Experience working collaboratively with senior scientists, Laboratory or university leadership, directorates, communications professionals, nominators, recommenders, and external stakeholders.
- Strong project-management skills, including the ability to manage confidential, deadline-driven, high-stakes nomination or proposal processes involving multiple contributors.
- Diplomatic judgment, demonstrated confidentiality and professional integrity, and a genuine passion for celebrating and promoting the scientific achievements of others.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ph.D. in a scientific, engineering, science policy, higher education, or closely related field.
- Experience building, transforming, or leading an external-recognition or faculty-honorifics program in a matrixed research organization, including operating-model, program-development, or change-management leadership.
- Experience with national laboratories, R1 universities, federal research agencies, professional societies, national academies, major scientific foundations, or nonprofit research institutes.
- Experience with research analytics platforms such as Academic Analytics or equivalent tools.
- Experience as a fellow, awardee, nominator, reviewer, selection-committee member, society officer, or foundation program staff member.
Reporting and Governance:
The Lead, External Recognitions and Honorific Awards holds a dual reporting relationship within ORNL's science and technology leadership. The primary reporting line is to the Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology (DDST), who sets Laboratory-level direction for honors and awards priorities, reinforces expectations with the Associate Laboratory Directors, and champions the recognition operating model at the executive level. The role is operationally homed in, and administratively reports through, the Office of Research Education (ORE), which provides the data, infrastructure, and program support the position draws on day to day — the Academic Analytics partnership, recognition data tools, early-career programming, and academic partnerships — with the Director, ORE, providing day-to-day coordination and supervision. This dual placement gives the role a Laboratory-wide mandate across directorates while keeping it embedded in ORE's integrated recognition infrastructure.
Working Conditions and Location:
This is a full-time, exempt, on-site position based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Occasional domestic and international travel to professional society meetings, academy events, partner institutions, and Laboratory off-site activities may be required. Occasional extended hours may be required during major nomination cycles.
How to Apply:
Qualified candidates are invited to submit a current curriculum vitae or resume, a cover letter of no more than two pages addressing their interest in the role and relevant experience, and contact information for three professional references through the Oak Ridge National Laboratory careers portal. References will not be contacted without the candidate’s prior notification.
Special Requirements:
- This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain an HSPD-12 PIV badge.
For employment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a Real ID compliant form of identification will be required. Additionally, ORNL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as mandated by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which requires a favorable post-employment background investigation.
To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a Federal Tier 1 background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last year. This includes 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) risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.
About ORNL:
As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.
ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.
Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.
If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.
#LI-DC1
This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.
We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.
ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.
