Position Location:

This position is located in Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Los Alamos is a tight-knit mountain community that consistently ranks as one of Livability.com’s Best Small Towns in America. The city is a top spot for outdoor enthusiasts as it has more than 120 hiking and biking trails, and residents enjoy easy access to the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area. Thanks to the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos’ presence in the area, Los Alamos also has a college-town vibe that’s a major draw for young professionals, families and retirees.

Position Summary

The Operations Manager (OM) position is located within the Environmental Remediation organization in Los Alamos, NM. This management-level position is responsible for providing high-level operational leadership, direction, and management oversight to maintain safe, secure, and compliant work environments in high hazard projects and facilities. The incumbent oversees the planning and execution of complex, high-hazard programmatic operations, including facility and project area characterization, environmental remediation, deactivation and decommissioning (D&D), waste management, and infrastructure maintenance, while integrating multidisciplinary Engineering, Maintenance, and ESH&Q support teams to advance the core mission.

Operating with a high degree of independence under administrative direction, the OM serves as an authoritative decision-maker responsible for ensuring strict adherence to Department of Energy (DOE), federal, state, and company regulatory standards, as well as established safety and authorization bases. The incumbent frequently interacts with top-level executive leadership, DOE representatives, and external regulatory agencies to deliver technical briefings, negotiate critical compliance issues, and align facility operations with broader strategic objectives. Decisions made in this role directly impact worker and public safety, environmental protection, program continuity, and the overall operational success and financial posture of the organization.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities (may include, but are not limited to):

• Manages and provides direction for safe, secure, and compliant operations within high hazard projects and facilities. Directs planning and execution of characterization, environmental remediation, D&D, waste management, and facility maintenance activities adhering to authorization and safety bases.
• Ensures full compliance with DOE, federal, state, and company safety, environmental, and operating standards and requirements. Conducts critiques, root cause analyses, and lessons learned reviews to mitigate risks, manage emergency management/ESH&Q posture, and enforce Conduct of Operations and Quality Assurance protocols
• Provides leadership and coordination of support from multidisciplinary support teams (Engineering, Maintenance, ESH&Q). Interacts with top-level executives, regulatory agencies, and external representatives, conducting briefings and managing operational budgets, program resources, and strategic alignment with organizational objectives.
  Implementing effective injury and illness case management, ensuring appropriate reporting and investigation of injuries/illnesses, and the development of corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Leading efforts for employee engagement and participation in safe work planning and execution, feedback and improvement, and organizational learning as part of a safety conscious work environment.
• Implementing the N3B Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS), to include coordination of safety programs with integrated work control planning and other ISMS supporting programs/processes as appropriate.
• Supporting plans and approaches for achieving Voluntary Protection Program recognition/status.
• In accordance with the LLCC and associated interface agreements, maintaining full integration with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), in the implementation of the N3B ES&H programs as appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities):

• Expert knowledge of high hazard facility operations, including environmental remediation, characterization, facility maintenance, D&D (deactivation and decommissioning), and waste management practices, sufficient to direct and oversee complex operational programs using a graded approach.
  Comprehensive knowledge of DOE, federal, state, and industry safety, security, and environmental regulations, as well as safety basis, authorization basis, criticality safety, Conduct of Operations, Conduct of Engineering, Conduct of Maintenance, and Quality Assurance standards to ensure continuous regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.
  In-depth knowledge of, and skill in applying, root cause analysis, operational critique, and lessons-learned methodologies to investigate complex incidents, identify hazards, and establish corrective and preventive action plans.
  Skill in program management, resource and budget allocation, and strategic planning to effectively manage multidisciplinary support teams (Engineering, Maintenance, ESH&Q) and ensure operational alignment with broad organizational goals.
  Exceptional written and oral communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills to deliver executive-level technical briefings, represent the organization in oversight matters, and effectively influence senior management, regulatory agencies, and external stakeholders on issues of critical significance.
• The supervisor provides administrative and policy direction in terms of broadly defined organizational missions, strategic goals, and program objectives. The employee exercises a high degree of independence in managing, directing, and maintaining safe, secure, and compliant operations across non-nuclear facilities and ER projects.
• The employee is responsible for independent planning, organizing, and executing major program activities—including facility characterization, environmental remediation, D&D, waste management, and infrastructure maintenance—while integrating multidisciplinary support teams (Engineering, Maintenance, ESH&Q). Guidelines consist of broad agency policies, federal and DOE safety regulations, environmental legislation, authorization/safety bases, and High Hazard Facility and Project operational standards (e.g., Conduct of Operations, Conduct of Engineering, Conduct of Maintenance, and Quality Assurance programs). While established safety standards, operating configuration protocols, and regulatory requirements exist, they are often general in nature regarding complex, non-routine, or high-risk characterization, remediation, D&D, and waste management activities.
• The employee must exercise a high degree of judgment, initiative, and ingenuity to interpret broad regulatory intent, apply a graded approach to high hazard facility and project operations, adapt standard engineering and maintenance procedures to unique operational hazards, and establish localized operational criteria, emergency postures, and organizational policies to ensure compliant and safe execution.

Education and Experience Required:

Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering, with 10+ years of relevant experience to include 5 years of experience managing and supervising technical staff.

Business Associations:

Interacts frequently with internal and external management and senior-level customer representatives concerning projects, operational decisions, scheduling requirements, and/or contractual clarifications. Leads briefings and technical meetings for internal and external representatives..

Impact:

Erroneous decision result in critical delays and modifications to projects or operations; cause substantial expenditure of additional time, human resources, and funds; and jeopardize future business activity.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

The work is primarily sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to perform duties. However, there may be occasional walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light items such as files, ledgers, and small tools weighing up to 10 pounds. Occasional walking and standing may also be required when visiting facility and project sites to observe, inspect, or manage operations. The work does not require any special physical effort or exertion.

The work is primarily performed in an office setting; however, regular field visits, facility tours, and technical assessments of non-nuclear facilities, environmental remediation sites, and D&D areas are required. During field operations, the incumbent is exposed to risks and hazards associated with hazardous waste, radiological materials, industrial equipment, noise, and outdoor weather conditions. These activities require adherence to strict safety requirements, radiological, and ESH&Q protocols, as well as the periodic use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hard hats, safety glasses, protective footwear, and radiological monitoring devices.

Safety, Security, and Quality

While working to achieve N3B LLCC objectives, the Senior Manager, Environmental Remediation will ensure all activities and operations are performed in a safe and deliberate manner to include protecting the confidentiality and integrity of Personally Identifiable Information (PII). This role will maintain required safety, security and operational training; assure procedural and regulatory compliance; and make safety, security and quality an integral part of every task; including taking the necessary steps to stop work if continuing the job is unsafe or compromises security. Ability to obtain a Q level Department of Energy security clearance.

Equal Opportunities

N3B is an equal opportunity employer. N3B will ensure no applicant for employment or employee is denied equal opportunity because of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent, national origin, age, disability (physical or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit based factors. These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs.