Jones, a 23-year Los Alamos employee, spent his career at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center and its predecessor organizations.
"Kevin brings key strengths to DX Division," said Sue Seestrom, associate director for Weapons Physics. "He is an excellent listener and makes his concern for people and their well-being the hallmark of his leadership style."
Following 18 years as a research physicist, Jones moved into a variety of management roles, serving as team leader for accelerator operations at LANSCE, deputy leader of the Accelerator Operations Group, accelerator operations manager and deputy division leader. Earlier, he held a technical role in the Accelerator Production of Tritium/ APT/Low Energy Demonstration Accelerator Project.
As a LANSCE physicist, Jones was an instrument scientist responsible for operation and improvement of the High-Resolution Proton Spectrometer; played a lead role in research on nuclear continuum spin observable measurements; made significant contributions to coincidence and light-target experiments; and designed beam transport systems for the Neutron Time-of-Flight Facility and Medium Resolution Spectrometer.
"Kevin brings a strong commitment both to the operations and to the excellent science and engineering that has always been the hallmark of DX Division," Seestrom added.
As acting leader, Jones led DX Division through a lengthy restart process, operations improvements and execution of the 3625 hydrodynamic experiment, a key programmatic deliverable, Seestrom said.
"Although I've only worked in DX for 10 months, every day I find myself excited and invigorated by the high caliber of the people who work here and the quality of their ideas," Jones said. "I hope that together we can continue to demonstrate technical and operational excellence in research and experimentation to support the Laboratory's national security mission."
Jones is a member of the American Physical Society. He earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa and a doctorate in experimental intermediate energy nuclear physics from Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.