Administrative Assistant, Physical Sciences Directorate

Requisition Id 14021 

Overview:  

The Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) is seeking a proactive Administrative Assistant who will provide essential administrative support within our directorate. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) conducts highly integrated basic and applied research programs that develop new materials, chemical processes, and technologies for energy generation and storage and environmentally benign energy use. Our research encompasses foundational science in chemistry, materials science, nanoscience, and physics. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research and collaborate with a dynamic team at ORNL.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

The selected candidate will fulfill the critical function of ensuring the continuity of administrative duties and a variety of other roles during times of increased demand.

The key duties include:

• Professional Reception: Create and maintain a professional office atmosphere by extending courteous and professional reception to visitors, whether in person or over the phone.

• Calendar and Schedule Management: Effectively schedule and maintain intricate calendars for appointments, meetings, interviews, meeting locations, and conferences, while skillfully prioritizing scheduling demands.

• Visitor Coordination: Coordinate visits, including travel arrangements in adherence to ORNL guidelines, site access, and the seamless orchestration of agendas and seminars.

• Recruiting Support: Collaborate on manager-related tasks such as recruitment, hiring, and onboarding, which includes interview scheduling, site access management, and integration support.

• Travel Coordination: Handle domestic and international travel requisitions, encompassing reservations, conference registrations, transportation, and expense settlement in strict accordance with ORNL protocols. Event Planning: Facilitate the planning and coordination of on-site and off-site events, such as meetings, workshops, and conferences, meticulously managing all logistical details.

• Document Preparation: Prepare, review, and craft diverse written materials as per ORNL Correspondence guidelines, maintaining a high standard of quality.

• Procurement: Generate requisitions and purchase orders following appropriate ORNL guidelines, contributing to smooth operations.

• Acquisitions and Subcontracts: Oversee acquisitions and subcontracts, ensuring efficient procurement processes.

• Compliance Oversight: Uphold adherence to office procedures and guidelines, ensuring consistent compliance across all activities. Maintain Department of Energy directives/standards and training requirements.

• Support Coverage: Offer support to the various groups or sections in the absence of the administrative assistant, maintaining continuity in operations. Effectively work on multiple tasks in a limited amount of time in a fast-paced environment.

• Team Collaboration: Collaborate closely with other administrative support staff, assisting as necessary with designated support duties to promote a cohesive work environment.

• Special Projects: Actively participate in and support special projects and assignments as required to contribute to the Directorate's success.

• Confidentiality: Handle sensitive and personally identifiable information discreetly, adhering to established procedures to maintain data security.

• Standard Administrative Functions: Execute standard administrative functions efficiently to support overall operations.

• Core Values: Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• High school diploma with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience..

• Diplomatic and tactful interaction with individuals at all levels.

• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.

• Initiative, flexibility, and adaptability to learn and perform various tasks.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, OneNote, and One Drive) and Adobe Acrobat.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A BS or AS degree in a relevant field.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.

• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs.

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for 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.

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.