Job Description

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory invites visionary communications leaders to apply for the role of Chief Communications Officer (CCO)—an opportunity to shape the voice and reputation of one of the world\'s premier scientific research institutions. The CCO will lead Berkeley Lab\'s strategic communications function and help advance the Laboratory\'s mission of delivering science solutions to the world\'s greatest challenges.

Reporting directly to the Laboratory Director and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the Chief Communications Officer is a trusted strategic advisor who partners with senior leaders to advance Berkeley Lab\'s scientific, operational, fiscal, cultural, and reputational goals. Leading the 17-person Strategic Communications Office, the CCO will develop and execute a bold, integrated communications strategy that elevates the Laboratory\'s global profile, strengthens engagement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the University of California (UC), policymakers, scientific collaborators, employees, and surrounding communities, and reinforces Berkeley Lab\'s position as a world leader in scientific innovation.

This role leads a modern, Lab-wide communications organization, inspires a high-performing team, and shapes compelling narratives that showcase groundbreaking research, operational excellence, organizational culture, and public impact. The successful candidate will foster trust across diverse stakeholders, lead through moments of opportunity and complexity, and ensure Berkeley Lab\'s voice reflects its enduring commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, service, and stewardship.

At Berkeley Lab, our collective purpose is to serve humankind through science. A Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Berkeley Lab is DOE Office of Science national laboratory managed by the University of California. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes to date. We conduct groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies, performed by teams whose expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Our five world class scientific user facilities are used annually by more than 16,000 researchers from around the world.

Berkeley Lab has a dynamic workforce of 4,000 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $1.36 billion. About 95% of the Laboratory’s funding comes from federal and state taxpayers, and we are committed to caring for the people, research, and resources that make our mission possible, a responsibility we call stewardship.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Institutional Strategy

• Develop and execute an enterprise-wide communications strategy aligned with the Laboratory’s scientific mission, strategic priorities, and reputation, with clear outcomes and data analytics to evaluate progress, including the impacts of AI on stakeholder information gathering.
• Advise the Laboratory Director and executive leadership on reputation, issues management, stakeholder engagement, and institutional positioning.
• Translate long-term institutional vision into actionable communication strategies that advance scientific leadership and programmatic ambitions across internal and external audiences.
• Drive integrated storytelling across programs and directorates to reinforce a unified Laboratory identity.

Science Communication & Impact

• Position the Laboratory as a global leader in science, innovation, and impact.
• Lead communications across the Lab’s research portfolio in energy, computation, artificial intelligence, quantum, materials, biological sciences, and related disciplines.
• Proactively engage national and global media to elevate the Laboratory’s reputation for scientific excellence and impact.
• Connect programmatic priorities to broader societal challenges to strengthen understanding of federally funded science and its value.
• Direct a modern digital and media ecosystem aligned with audience expectations and institutional storytelling needs.

Internal Communications, Culture & Engagement

• Lead a Lab-wide internal communications program that fosters shared purpose across a complex organization with multiple internal communities.
• Partner with Lab leaders to communicate a culture grounded in stewardship, shared values, and safety.
• Work with functional areas (e.g., the Stewardship Office and Human Resources) to communicate organizational change in ways that build trust and engagement.
• Strengthen cohesion across research and operations communications teams to support execution of Laboratory priorities.
• Lead internal efforts to execute programs that foster employee engagement.

Crisis & Emergency Communications

• Prepare for and lead emergency and crisis communications that protect people, assets and reputation while maintaining and building stakeholder trust.
• Advise senior leadership in real time during high-consequence crises, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and institutional credibility.
• Be available after hours and on weekends to advise and lead crisis communications as needed.

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Building

• Build trust and alignment across stakeholder communities through clear, consistent, and responsive messaging.
• Serve as the senior communications interface with DOE, UC,, the State of California, academic partners, industry, and local communities.
• Coordinate communications across national laboratory peers (the National Laboratories Chief Communications Officers) and research partners to reinforce mission alignment and collective impact.
• Represent the Laboratory in national forums where communications, science policy, and institutional reputation converge.

Organizational Leadership & Team Development

• Strengthen integration across decentralized communications teams to lead a cohesive, Lab-wide communications enterprise, leveraging distributed expertise into a unified strategic function.
• Foster a high-performing communications culture grounded in collaboration, trust, accountability, innovation, and excellence.
• Oversee budgeting, workforce planning, and resource allocation for Strategic Communications, aligned with institutional priorities.
• Anticipate and adapt to shifts in the information landscape, including misinformation, evolving practices, and AI-enabled tools and workflows.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in strategic communications, public affairs, or related fields, ideally within a science-driven, research, academic, government, or similarly complex institutional environment.

Strategic Communications Leadership

• Proven ability to design and execute enterprise-scale, integrated communications strategies aligned with institutional mission, scientific leadership, and long-term programmatic priorities in large, distributed organizations.
• Record of advising senior executives on reputation, issues management, and strategic messaging.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and executive communication skills with deep fluency in modern practices across digital, media, internal communications, branding, and executive messaging.

Stakeholder Relationships

• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively across complex stakeholder ecosystems, including federal agencies, academic partners, and public-sector institutions.
• Ability to balance diverse and sometimes competing stakeholder needs while maintaining institutional coherence and credibility.
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and credibility at all levels, with the ability to influence without authority and build trust across scientific, operational, and executive communities.
• Significant experience leading crisis and emergency communications, operating effectively under pressure while maintaining transparency and alignment with institutional values.
• Proven ability to protect institutional reputation while sustaining trust with internal and external stakeholders.

Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness

• Proven success in leading and developing high-performing, multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience driving organizational alignment, cross-functional collaboration, and institutional change in complex environments.
• Strong budgeting, operational planning, and resource management skills.

Desired Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master\'s or Ph.D.) in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
• Experience leading communications activities in a DOE national laboratory or FFRDC environment.
• Familiarity with data-informed communications approaches and emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools and workflows.

Notes:

• Appointment type: This is a full-time career appointment, exempt from overtime pay (monthly paid). The Chief Communications Officer position is appointed by and serves at the discretion of the Laboratory Director, and this appointment is at will and may be terminated at any time with or without cause.
• Salary range: This position is expected to pay $290,000 to $360,000 annually; salary will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications, as well as aligned with the internal leadership peer group. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position.
• Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work modality: This position requires daily on-site presence at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, with occasional business travel.

Learn About Us:

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab\'s mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. For additional information, click here .

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