Center Director for Bioengineering and Biomanufacturing

Center Director for Bioengineering and Biomanufacturing

We have an opening for a dynamic and visionary leader to lead the Center for Bioengineering and Biomanufacturing (CBB) and establish it as a nationally recognized research hub focused on advancing capabilities to solve materials security and bioresilience challenges.

CBB serves as a multidisciplinary center for bioengineering and biomanufacturing talent across the laboratory, integrating expertise from Engineering, Physical and Life Sciences (PLS), and Computing Directorates.

Aligned with the Laboratory's S&T strategy identifying Advanced Materials & Manufacturing as one of three main technical pillars, the Center is being refocused to advance the Laboratory's biomanufacturing capabilities by integrating PLS’s biosciences and Engineering’s manufacturing expertise. This emphasis recognizes the critical need for integrated discovery and biodesign, synthetic biology, process engineering, and scale‑up of biomaterials critical to national security missions.

In parallel, in concert with the Laboratory’s strategic investments in AI/ML and high‑performance computing for predictive science, establishing high‑throughput platforms for biological data generation becomes essential to training and validating these advanced computational models.

Research and development activities are organized around two thematic focus areas:

• Biomaterials and Biomanufacturing:
  Leveraging synthetic biology and additive manufacturing to create novel biomaterials and transformative bio‑based processes focused on meeting national security challenges.
• Biomeasurement Platforms:
  Leveraging Laboratory’s distinctive technical expertise in science and engineering to develop advanced biosensing and characterization capabilities and platforms, advancing biological data generation across multiple frontiers: precision, throughput, automation and innovation.

As the Director of CBB, you will play a critical role relying on expert communication, facilitation, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills to develop and lead innovative research, build cooperative teams, and interact with management and sponsors on a wide variety of levels. This position will be at 0.5 FTE in the Engineering Principal Associate Director’s Office and will report to the Deputy Principal Associate Director for Mission.

• Develop a vision, strategy and implementation plan to establish CBB as a nationally recognized capability.
• Lead the Biomaterials and Biomanufacturing capability at LLNL by integrating synthetic biology and engineering competencies from across LLNL.
• Develop and maintain a cohesive Biomeasurement capability, integrating fundamental biosciences/biotechnology with engineering advances in sensing, microfluidics, and robotics.
• Champion and lead independent assessment of the key capabilities in CBB and develop a plan to prioritize stewardship.
• Leverage computational expertise specifically, predictive design of proteins, data sciences and AI/ML to accelerate mission impact.
• Establish formal relationships with the advanced materials and manufacturing capability at LLNL with special focus on materials-of-interest to national security, 3D printing of biomaterials, bioreactors/scale‑up, and robotics.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships to prioritize the vision for the Center, including pertinent stakeholders within PLS and Engineering Leadership.
• Support networking and outreach for Center members.
• Develop and strengthen external (academia, industry) and internal strategic relationships.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q‑level security clearance, requiring U.S. citizenship.
• Master’s degree or PhD in bioengineering, biosciences, or a related technical field, or the equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Extensive experience in business/program development with federal sponsors and/or industrial partners, including sustaining funding and financial and budget oversight.
• Extensive experience leading, managing, and directing a large, diverse multidisciplinary, and high‑visibility team, building positive and collaborative…