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Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy

Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency- Energy (ARPA-E), Department of Energy
Responsibility
Management Scope

The director oversees three deputy directors and 16 program directors in the department.4 In fiscal 2016, the Department of Energy had a research budget of $291 million.5

Primary Responsibilities

• Approves all of ARPA-E’s new programs
• Develops funding criteria for programs and establishes technical milestones to assess their success
• Administers the Energy Transformation Acceleration Fund, which grants awards to higher education institutions, companies and research foundations as well as individual and consortia of trade and industry research collaborations (42 U.S.C. § 16538)
• Leads a team of technical experts that assesses and selects transformative technology projects for federal funding
• Formulates and defends the ARPA-E annual budget request
• Publishes an annual report to Congress of ARPA-E accomplishments

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Professional background and experience enabling the director hired to advise the secretary on, and manage, research programs that address long-term and high-risk technological barriers to energy technology development (42 U.S.C. § 16538)
• Ph.D. in science or engineering
• Fifteen or more years of experience in science or technology research and development (commercial, laboratory or academic)
• Seven or more years of experience leading and managing a team or teams of scientific or technology researchers
• Fifteen or more years of experience providing, leveraging and/or managing research grants
• Past science or technology leadership experience in a government or FFRDC role (a plus)

Competencies

• Expertise managing a diversified portfolio of multiyear, multimillion dollar technology projects
• Expert project management and leadership skills
• Deep understanding of technology research funding processes, including public, private and combined public-private streams
• Ability to build partnerships and coalitions with stakeholders in academia, industry, Congress and around the world to accomplish challenging science and engineering outcomes
• Exceptional communication and public speaking skills
• Ability to facilitate difficult conversations and arbitrate between parties, as necessary, following funding decisions as well as decisions not to fund
• Willingness to travel within the continental U.S. and internationally

Past Appointments
  • Ellen Williams (2014 to 2017) – Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, Department of Energy; Chief Scientist, BP6
  • Arun Majumdar (2009 to 2012) – Almy and Agnes Maynard Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley; Associate Laboratory Director for Energy and Environment, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory7
AGENCY

Department of Energy

Mission: To ensure America's security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.2

COMPENSATION

Level III $172,100 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)3

REPORTS TO

Secretary of Energy (42 U.S.C. § 16538)

SENATE COMMITTEE

Energy and Natural Resources

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Footnote
  1. Plum book
  2. Partnership for Public Service
  3. 2017 data
  4. https://arpa-e.energy.gov/?q=about/arpa-e-team/senior-leadership
  5. https://arpa-e.energy.gov/sites/default/files/ARPA-E%20FY17%20Budget%20Request.pdf pg397
  6. https://arpa-e.energy.gov/?q=about/profiles/dr-ellen-williams
  7. http://energy.gov/seab/contributors/arun-majumdar
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