Chemical Sciences Division Leader
Position Overview
Specific Responsibilities
Program and Capability Stewardship
Operational Excellence and Management Systems
Workforce, Culture & Talent Development
Integration, Communication & External Engagement
Qualifications
Skills
Benefits
Pay
Schedule
Develop, execute, and evolve a division-level strategy aligned to the directorate strategic plan, SLAC-wide priorities as articulated in the annual lab plan, the synchronized brilliance lab strategy, and DOE mission needs.
Provide clear direction, prioritization, and communication to ensure operational excellence, scientific and technical impact, and safe, reliable execution of all work.
Build and manage a high-performing team ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and expectations for managers and individual contributors.
Sustain and grow the division's core capabilities (scientific, technical, operational, or infrastructure) that enable mission delivery within approved budget and mission scopes.
Ensure effective operation of division-managed facilities, laboratories, testbeds, equipment, and critical systems.
Ensure effective stewardship of division finances, including overseeing financial stewardship of program budgets.
Ensure that all division activities are conducted in ways which exemplify disciplined operations including performing work safely, securely, and in compliance with DOE, Stanford, and SLAC requirements.
Implement and maintain strong management systems, including performance feedback, ES&H, quality assurance, configuration control, cybersecurity, project management, and work planning and control.
Identify risks proactively and institute effective mitigation and continuous improvement processes.
Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain a world-class workforce across scientific, engineering, technical, and operational domains.
Foster an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative culture that reflects SLAC and Stanford values.
Promote career development, succession planning, and leadership growth.
Set clear expectations and maintain high standards of performance, accountability, and professional conduct.
Represent the division to external stakeholders, advisory committees, review panels, Stanford partners, national labs, and industry collaborators as appropriate.
Qualifications
Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, physics, or a closely related scientific discipline relevant to the Chemical Sciences Division mission.
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible research experience following the Ph.D., with demonstrated scientific leadership in chemical sciences, catalysis, ultrafast science, or closely related fields.
An established record of scientific excellence and impact, demonstrated through high-quality publications, invited talks, and recognition within the chemical sciences community.
Demonstrated experience leading research programs or organizational units (e.g., research groups, centers, divisions, or large collaborative efforts) in an academic, national laboratory, or equivalent research environment.
Deep technical expertise in at least one core area aligned with the Chemical Sciences Division mission.
Broad scientific understanding across chemical sciences sufficient to evaluate research quality across diverse subdisciplines, guide portfolio balance between fundamental discovery and mission-driven research, and enable interdisciplinary collaboration across SLAC and partner institutions.
Demonstrated experience developing, managing, and growing a sponsored research portfolio, including interaction with federal research sponsors.
Ability to represent research programs effectively to external stakeholders, including DOE program managers, advisory committees, and review panels.
Skills
Strategic and organizational leadership.
Program and capability stewardship.
Operational excellence and management systems.
Workforce, culture & talent development.
Integration, communication & external engagement.
Benefits
The benefits package includes health insurance, retirement savings plan, and paid time off.
Pay
The expected pay range for this position is $200,000 to $274,608 per annum.
Schedule
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job. Given the nature of this position, SLAC will require onsite work.