John Sarrao will replace Alan Bishop as principal assistant director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Science, Technology and Engineering branch, a lab spokesperson said Monday.
In his new role, Sarrao will run the lab’s fundamental science programs, which include research applicable to nuclear weapons, among other things. The directorate’s four sub-branches are: chemistry, life and earth sciences; engineering sciences; experimental physics sciences; and theory, simulation and computation.
Sarrao has been the lab’s associate directorate for theory, simulation and computation since 2013. The sub-branch of the science, technology and engineering directorate “[applies] science-based prediction to nuclear weapon stewardship, the reliable replacement warhead, and beyond,” according to the lab’s website.
Bishop, a PhD physicist, will remain with the lab and become its chief scientist effective April 16. Bishop has been with Los Alamos since 1979, according to his official bio.
It was not immediately clear why the lab made the personnel change.
Los Alamos National Security manages Los Alamos National Lab under contract for the Department of Energy’s semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The company’s management contract is slated to expire Sept. 30. NNSA is expected to award a follow-on contract this month or next.
Los Alamos National Security is led by longtime Los Alamos manager University of California and senior industry partner Bechtel, along with industry teammates AECOM and BWX Technologies.
University of California and Bechtel are leading separate bids for the follow-on contract. BWX Technologies is seeking a role on the next lab-management team, but has not said whose bid it joined. AECOM is not bidding on the follow-on contract, a source has said.
University of Texas is also leading a bid. Texas A&M University is also in the hunt, but like BWX Technologies has not said whose bid it joined.
