Senior Advisor for National and Regional Initiatives

The Senior Advisor for National and Regional Initiatives serves as a strategic advisor to the Science, Energy, and Innovation Directorate (SEI) Associate Laboratory Director on the development of initiatives that strengthen Savannah River National Laboratory’s (SRNL) role within the nation’s research, engineering, manufacturing, and innovation ecosystem.

Through engagement with government, industry, academia, national laboratories, and regional partners, the Senior Advisor identifies emerging opportunities, develops collaborative initiatives, and builds innovation ecosystems that position SRNL to address evolving national and regional priorities.

Working across SEI and the broader research enterprise, the Senior Advisor connects SRNL’s scientific, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities with strategic partners to develop initiatives that expand the laboratory’s impact and strengthen its long-term strategic position.

The position complements the responsibilities of Portfolio Directors, the Technology Partnerships Office (TPO), the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC), and the research divisions by developing strategic initiatives that are ultimately transitioned to those organizations for execution and long-term stewardship. The Senior Advisor serves as an institutional integrator—connecting people, organizations, and capabilities to create opportunities that no single organization could develop independently.

The Senior Advisor succeeds by creating strategic opportunities that no single organization within SEI could develop independently and by transitioning those opportunities into sustained laboratory capabilities through collaboration with Portfolio Directors, TPO, AMC, and the research divisions.

Strategic Positioning

• Assess emerging national and regional science, technology, manufacturing, and energy priorities to identify opportunities where SRNL can provide unique leadership.
• Develop and advance initiatives that position SRNL as a preferred partner in strategically important mission areas.
• Represent SEI in forums that influence future science, engineering, manufacturing, and innovation priorities.
• Strengthen SRNL’s visibility and reputation as a trusted national laboratory partner

Strategic Engagement

• Build enduring relationships with senior leaders across government, industry, academia, national laboratories, and regional organizations.
• Convene stakeholders to shape collaborative responses to emerging national and regional priorities.
• Expand SRNL’s network of strategic collaborators and institutional partners.
• Foster long-term relationships that create future opportunities for research, engineering, manufacturing, and innovation.

Ecosystem Development

• Design and develop regional and national innovation ecosystems aligned with SRNL’s strategic priorities.
• Build collaborative models that integrate research organizations, industry, manufacturing partners, universities, government, and other stakeholders.
• Develop concepts for public-private partnerships, research consortia, shared infrastructure, workforce collaborations, and multi-institution initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to leverage federal, state, and private-sector investments that strengthen SRNL’s strategic position.

Initiative Development

• Conceive and develop strategic initiatives that address emerging national and regional priorities.
• Identify opportunities that span multiple portfolios, technical disciplines, and organizational boundaries.
• Build coalitions of government, industry, academia, and laboratory partners around shared objectives.
• Identify and cultivate prospective partners before formal funding opportunities emerge.
• Develop governance models, partnership strategies, funding approaches, and implementation roadmaps.
• Coordinate cross-organizational planning to align scientific capabilities with institutional opportunities.
• Mature initiatives until they are ready for operational execution by the appropriate Portfolio Director, TPO, AMC, or research division.

Strategic Leadership

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Associate Laboratory Director on initiatives that advance SEI’s long-term objectives.
• Provide strategic counsel on emerging national priorities, institutional partnerships, and collaborative opportunities.
• Promote collaborative approaches that strengthen institutional partnerships across organizational boundaries.
• Represent SRNL in executive-level engagements with government, industry, academia, national laboratories, and regional organizations.
• Champion collaborative approaches that strengthen the national research and innovation ecosystem.

Organizational Interfaces

The Senior Advisor is responsible for the development, integration, and institutional design of strategic initiatives. Once an initiative reaches execution readiness, lead responsibility transitions to the appropriate line organization.

• Portfolio Directors assume responsibility for sponsor engagement, portfolio strategy, and technical execution.
• Technology Partnerships Office (TPO) assumes responsibility for partnership agreements, CRADAs, licenses, and related partnership mechanisms.
• Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC) assumes responsibility for manufacturing strategy, engineering implementation, demonstration, and scale-up activities.
• Research Divisions assume responsibility for sustained scientific and technical execution.

Following transition, the appropriate line organization is accountable for execution, while the Senior Advisor continues to provide strategic alignment and institutional coordination, as appropriate.

Success Measures

Success will be evaluated through outcomes such as:

• 2–3 strategic national or regional initiatives advanced under the Senior Advisor’s leadership that reached execution readiness and were adopted by a Portfolio Director, TPO, AMC, or research division.
• Growth in non-federal cost-share and partner investment associated with initiatives the Senior Advisor helped shape, in collaboration with the executing organization.
• The Associate Laboratory Director’s assessment of the Senior Advisor’s strategic counsel on emerging national and regional priorities, institutional positioning, and collaborative opportunities.
• Effective coordination with Portfolio Directors, TPO, AMC, and research divisions, demonstrated through clearly understood organizational roles and positive stakeholder feedback.
• Increased participation and leadership in emerging DOE and other federal priority areas.
• Development of regional and national innovation ecosystems that strengthen SRNL’s strategic position.

Required

• Advanced degree in engineering, science, public policy, business, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated success developing and leading complex multidisciplinary initiatives involving multiple organizations.
• Experience working with Federal R&D organizations, national laboratories, or comparable innovation ecosystems.
• Strong understanding of the national laboratory environment and the federal research enterprise.
• Proven ability to influence across organizations without relying on formal authority.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, strategic planning, and organizational leadership skills.

Preferred

Experience in one or more of the following:

• DOE national laboratories
• Federal R&D policy and programs
• Public-private partnerships
• Consortium development
• Regional innovation ecosystems
• Advanced manufacturing
• Research infrastructure
• Technology transition
• Industry collaboration

Desired Characteristics

The successful candidate will:

• Think institutionally rather than organizationally.
• Build institutions, not just initiatives—creating enduring partnerships, collaborative ecosystems, and strategic capabilities that strengthen SRNL’s long-term national impact.
• Connect technical excellence with national priorities.
• Build coalitions that span organizational and institutional boundaries.
• Recognize emerging opportunities before formal funding opportunities are announced.
• Create collaborative structures that outlast individual projects.
• Operate comfortably at the intersection of science, engineering, manufacturing, policy, and innovation.
• Inspire collaboration through influence rather than formal authority.