Posting Title

Buildings Technology - Laboratory Program Manager

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Regular

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is seeking a Laboratory Program Manager (LPM) to coordinate NLR’s buildings research and development activities across the laboratory. NLR’s Building Technologies Program leads cutting-edge buildings research to drive affordable solutions, increase resiliency, and strengthen the reliability of energy systems.

 

This position, located at the South Table Mountain campus in Golden, Colorado, reports to the Associate Laboratory Director of the Mechanical & Thermal Engineering Sciences Directorate. 

Specific duties related to the position include, but are not limited to:

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for DOE’s Buildings Technology Office (BTO), which entails maintaining a strategic partnership, high levels of customer satisfaction, and effective coordination with DOE and national lab partners.
• Lead BTO-funded program planning and strategy development, including annual operating plans, multi-year roadmaps, proposal development, and long-term alignment with DOE/BTO objectives.
• Manage NLR’s buildings research, development, and deployment (RD&D) portfolio, ensuring balanced integration, effective project execution, reporting, and alignment with approved operating plans.
• Collaborate with laboratory directorates, centers (particularly the Building Technology Sciences Center, BTSC), Associate Laboratory Directors (ALDs), and business development leaders to align NLR's core competencies, resources, infrastructure, and industry partnerships with BTO priorities.
• Provide technical, programmatic, and subject-matter leadership in building technologies, mentor staff. serve as an expert internal resource on technology, industry, market, and research trends.
• Coordinate and lead NLR’s response to building-related funding opportunities (NOFOs, Lab Calls), publications review, and intellectual property protection to ensure mission impact and stewardship of federal funds.
• Strengthen strategic alliances with industry, universities, associations, and other national laboratories through partnership development, site visits, and external engagement.
• Oversee fiduciary, operational, and compliance responsibilities for the Buildings Technology program, including financial management, cross-program coordination, best-practice program management, and adherence to health, safety, and environmental requirements.

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Basic Qualifications

PhD and 15 years of relevant experience. Or, Master's and 18 years of relevant experience. Or, Bachelor's and 20 years. Previous management, budget development and/or significant leadership in an individual contributor role is required.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically considering the big picture and effectively lead strategic planning while building consensus toward a vision and strategy.
• Expert knowledge within buildings technology research, preferably in areas such as but not limited to; commercial, residential, building energy modeling, building/grid integration, software development
• Ability to propose and develop new/novel concepts and approaches where little or no precedents exist.
• Highly-effective teaming skills, including a proven ability to form and lead high-impact, cross-organizational teams.
• This position requires regular travel and an onsite hybrid work location and is not seeking applicants who wish to work remotely.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability and proven track record of sponsor or customer satisfaction in managing one or more technical projects or programs with large annual operating budgets.

• Demonstrated ability to grow and/or adapt a research program/portfolio over a short period of time.

• An established positive reputation with NLR’s DOE clients within BTO.

• A relevant technical degree in civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry or a related applied scientific or engineering discipline.

• Experience successfully developing, forming and leading one or more interdisciplinary project team(s) that included national laboratories, industry, and universities.

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Laboratory Program Manager II / Annual Salary Range: $172,700 - $310,900

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short*- and long-term disability insurance; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; paid holidays; and tuition reimbursement*. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Limited-term positions are not eligible for long-term disability or tuition reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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