Project Manager, HFIR Upgrades Project Office

Requisition Id 12233 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, with an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,200 people! ORNL’s decadal 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.

We are seeking a skilled Project Manager for the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) Upgrades Project Office to lead the Reactor Pressure Vessel Replacement (RPVR), a $700M+ DOE project that will enable long-term operations (LTO) of the reactor and enable significant scientific opportunities to the nation. The RPVR project is composed of equipment design, construction, procurement, assembly, installation, and commissioning as a DOE Hazard Category 1 Nuclear Facility.

HFIR provides one of the highest steady-state neutron fluxes of any research reactor in the world. The thermal and cold neutrons produced by HFIR are used for research into the fundamental properties of materials, including biological and engineered materials, enabling researchers to make scientific discoveries and address some of the biggest challenges facing society today. Completed in 1965 and operating at 85 MW, HFIR is the strongest reactor-based neutron source in the United States and is home to neutron scattering research facilities used for fundamental and applied research on the structure and dynamics of matter.

ORNL is preparing to replace HFIR’s pressure vessel, along with other key reactor core components, to sustain and enhance HFIR’s operational performance. This exciting project will enable ORNL to continue providing the Office of Science with essential isotopes production and research and development to meet the ever-growing demands of the United States’ research, medical and national defense needs. Ensuring long-term operations of this critical asset is thus essential to continued U.S. competitiveness.

Purpose:

The Project Manager works with the HFIR Upgrades Project Office Director to provide management oversight of the RPVR technical systems, ensuring that scope, budget, and schedule performance objectives are achieved on time and within budget, in a safe and environmentally compliant manner.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible to the Project Director and the Program Management Group Lead to oversee and facilitate all project actions, to include design, acquisition strategy, contractor selection, engineering, construction, and commissioning of the work effort.

• Forms, motivates, and manages a diverse, integrated project team to deliver the project on budget, on schedule, and within scope.

• Works closely with Research Reactors Division (RRD), Neutron Scattering Division (NSD), and the Neutron Technologies Division (NTD) in the Neutron Sciences Directorate (NScD) to ensure the successful execution of the project scope.

• Identifies and defines the project scope and is responsible for managing the project work breakdown structure, schedule, cost estimates, actual costs, risk register & risk analyses, earned value reporting and baseline change control.

• Establishes project-specific management policies, procedures, standards, and training that conform to DOE, ORNL, and UT-Battelle best practices which direct and guide the successful planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closeout of the project.

• Leads communicating and reporting project status and performance information to project stakeholders, ORNL staff members and collaborators.

• Leads interface with major construction project stakeholders: DOE; Engineering, Procurement, and Construction firms; support contractors; and research and development groups. Also leads the project in preparing and executing various internal and external performance reviews.

• 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:

• A BS/BA degree in Science, Engineering, Project Management, or other related field.

• Minimum of 20 years of relevant experience in successfully performing project management duties with technical engineering or scientific projects with a demonstrated track record of project success.

• Operating nuclear reactor management experience in Engineering or Operations.

• Proven success in managing engineering teams, including design of complex equipment within a reactor facility.

• Demonstrated ability to work productively with highly skilled scientists, engineers, and project management professionals.

• Exceptional communications skills with the ability to convey technical concepts to a diverse audience

• Thorough understanding of the applicable DOE Orders and best-practices governing DOE Office of Science projects, to include DOE O 413.3B, Program and Project Management for the Acquisition of Capital Projects and DOE STD 1189, Integration of Safety into the Design Process.

• Well versed in construction, operations, R&D, and business systems to assure project scope is accomplished, schedules are met, and work is completed within budget.

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, or equivalent.

• MS in Project Management or similar field; or relevant, extensive experience in lieu of degree.

• Experience with DOE nuclear facilities projects to include initial construction and/or upgrades to the facility.

• Comprehensive understanding of nuclear technology (e.g., nuclear reactor safety basis, design, and construction).

• Experience with neutron instruments.

• Project experience working with DOE projects within the Office of Science portfolio.

• Experience managing/working with projects using the following software/systems: Oracle Primavera and Deltek Cobra or EVMS cost processors.

• Experience with projects using a ‘DOE compliant’ EVMS environment; to include establishing baselines, incorporating baseline changes, producing monthly reports and variance analysis.

• Experience with isotope production or similar technologies.

• Experience with preparing and participating in DOE Office of Science Independent Project Reviews (IPRs) and EVMS surveillance reviews.

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.