Facility Director, Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory (APPL)

Requisition Id17337

Overview

The Biosciences Division (BSD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks an accomplished scientific leader to serve as the Facility Director of the Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory (APPL) and its integrated bioscience capabilities. APPL combines plant phenotyping, controlled-environment experimentation, greenhouse operations, automation, imaging, and advanced data and computational tools to support research across ORNL and with external collaborators.

The Facility Director will provide scientific and operational leadership for APPL and Greenhouse operations while guiding the development and integration of bioscience automation capabilities across BSD. Working with facility staff, investigators, automation teams, BSD leadership, and the APPL Steering Committee, the Facility Director will help shape APPL's scientific vision, operational model, and long-term growth.

The Facility Director will be accountable for APPL's scientific direction, facility performance, user access, program development, and sustainability. This role offers a unique opportunity to advance a multidisciplinary research platform that integrates biology, automation, imaging, and data science to enable innovative research in plant and microbial systems.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

Scientific and Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement APPL's scientific and operational strategy in alignment with ORNL priorities, sponsor opportunities, and user needs.
• Establish and communicate a vision for APPL that advances ORNL's biological and environmental research capabilities and supports emerging scientific opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to expand APPL capabilities and strengthen integration across biology, automation, imaging, computing, and data science.
• Advise BSD leadership and the APPL Steering Committee on strategic priorities, performance, opportunities, and risks.

Facility Operations and User Engagement

• Lead APPL and Greenhouse operations, including facility performance, staffing, safety, maintenance, and coordination of shared spaces and workflows.
• Establish transparent processes for project intake, scientific and technical review, prioritization, approval, scheduling, access, costing, and closeout.
• Ensure proposed work is scientifically appropriate, technically feasible, safe, adequately resourced, and consistent with facility capacity and sponsor requirements.
• Communicate facility capabilities, access requirements, applicable costs, facility support, data practices, and project responsibilities to users.
• Monitor utilization, service quality, safety, maintenance, operating costs, and user feedback, and use these measures to continuously improve facility performance.

Automation and Capability Integration

• Lead the development and integration of bioscience automation capabilities across BSD, connecting plant and microbial research needs.
• Integrate phenotyping, greenhouse, controlled-environment, automation, imaging, and data capabilities into coordinated research workflows.
• Work closely with existing automation organizations, including the Microbial Engineering Automation Laboratory, to strengthen capability alignment and operational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with BSD leadership to establish clear roles, priorities, and interfaces for automation staff and capabilities across the division.

Partnership Development and Program Growth

• Build APPL's internal and external user community and develop partnerships with DOE programs, other federal agencies, universities, industry, and research facilities.
• Lead or support sponsor engagement and proposal development in collaboration with BSD leadership and investigators.
• Represent APPL within ORNL and to external stakeholders, highlighting the facility's capabilities, scientific achievements, and strategic value.

Sustainability and Resource Stewardship

• Develop and maintain a sustainable operating plan based on appropriate user and project charges, programmatic and facility support, institutional commitments, partnerships, and other approved funding sources.
• Assess staffing and resource needs, identify sustainability risks, and recommend adjustments when planned work exceeds available support.
• Ensure effective stewardship of facility resources while balancing user needs, scientific priorities, and operational requirements.
• Coordinate with investigators and BSD leadership when projects or personnel change. Facility access decisions must remain distinct from decisions regarding project leadership, scientific responsibility, and funding commitments.

• MS degree in a relevant scientific, engineering, technical, or operational discipline and substantial experience leading research facilities, technical operations, scientific programs, or multidisciplinary organizations. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• 10-12 years of experience leading complex scientific, technical, operational, or facility-based organizations, including responsibility for personnel, budgets, strategic planning, and operational performance.
• Demonstrated experience managing staff, resources, priorities, and organizational objectives in a dynamic research or technical environment.
• Experience developing research programs, proposals, partnerships, or other sources of programmatic support.
• Strong communication, planning, organizational, and people-leadership skills, with the ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders.

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific, engineering, or technical discipline.
• Experience operating a research facility, shared scientific resource, user facility, greenhouse operation, or comparable technical organization.
• Experience with project intake, access review, prioritization, scheduling, costing, resource planning, and operational management.
• Experience in plant phenotyping, plant biology, controlled-environment research, greenhouse systems, automation, imaging, data-intensive research, or related areas.
• Experience building and leading multidisciplinary teams within complex research organizations.
• Experience with national laboratories, DOE programs, or other federal sponsors.
• Experience building collaborations with universities, industry, government agencies, or other research institutions.
• Familiarity with integrating experimental, automation, data, and computational workflows across research areas.
• Experience developing sustainable operating models, business processes, or resource-allocation strategies for shared research capabilities.

Special Requirements:

• 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.

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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.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

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.