University of California Leads Search for New LLNL Director

On July 7, 2020, Charlene Zettel, University of California (UC) Regent and Chair of the Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) Board of Governors, announced the commencement of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Director search process.  

zettel
Charlene Zettel

As agreed among the LLNS partners, the University is responsible for leading the search for the next LLNL Director. 

The University’s search process will be similar in scope and breadth to those of prior Director searches for all three UC-affiliated labs — Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories.  The process includes use of a Search Committee and a Screening Task Force, both of which include LLNL colleagues.  In addition, an executive search firm has been hired.

A number of actions have been accomplished or are in the planning stages:

  • Chair Zettel and the UC President have approved the Search Committee as directed by UC Regents policy.
     
  • The Screening Task Force has been formed to assist the Search Committee. It is chaired by Charlie McMillan, former LANL Director and long-time LLNL employee, and will consist of a cross-section of LLNL employees, representatives from LANL and LBNL, and noted scientists and administrators who are knowledgeable about LLNL, its scientific work, and its role as a DOE/NNSA national laboratory and who are informed about the relevant LLNL scientific areas.
     
  • The Search Committee will host a series of virtual “Lab Days” to hear from LLNL employees, management and the Livermore Field Office manager. The Committee will use input from the Lab Days to develop selection criteria to be used to assess the candidates during the search process to determine the best individual for the position.
     
  • The position will be posted on LLNL and UC job web sites and will be listed on other prominent job web sites as well. The job posting will also be advertised nationally in respected science, higher education social media, and diversity outreach publications.
     
  • Letters requesting nominations are being sent to the LLNL workforce; senior leaders in the DOE, NNSA, and other federal agencies; current and former national laboratory directors, the LLNS Board of Governors, UC leadership, appropriate federal, state and local elected officials, and selected research university leaders.

To be given full consideration, nominations and applications for the LLNL Director should be submitted by October 15, 2020 in accordance with the nominations & applications instructions provided. 

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An update on the search for the next Lab Director

"An update on the search for the next Lab Director," from Charlene Zettel, Chair, LLNL Director Search Committee; Chair, LLNS Board of Governors; Chair, UC Regents National Laboratories Committee, Sept. 9, 2020.