Vice President and Executive Director, Electrochemical Safety Research Institute

UL Research Institutes (ULRI), the world’s leading safety science research organization, is seeking nominations and applications for the Vice President & Executive Director (VP) of its Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI). This position will lead a highly regarded and prestigious institute in the evolution of its research program; the growth of its laboratory infrastructure; and the expansion of its education and outreach initiatives to achieve global impact.

ESRI’s mission is to foster the design and deployment of safer energy storage and energy generation devices and the ecosystems that they power. Through in-house scientific research and collaborative work with leading academic and institutional research partners, ESRI delivers scientific insights that policymakers, manufacturers, standards development and testing organizations, and consumers depend upon to make informed technology decisions. Examples include defining safe conditions for deployment of different battery chemistries targeting various energy-storage use cases or innovating in the design of new materials, components, and assemblies designed to reduce inherent safety risks. With an expanding focus and available resources to support extraordinary infrastructure growth--including the planned construction of a significant new laboratory and abuse-testing facility--ESRI cultivates the success of a community of researchers that is positioned to grow and excel.

ULRI’s work is supported in part by a multi-billion-dollar endowment, which provides stable, mission-aligned funding and meaningful flexibility to invest in world-class research and infrastructure, as well as rapid-response work on emerging safety challenges. ESRI will pair this internal investment with an expanded sponsored research portfolio, building partnerships across government, academia, and industry while maintaining the independence and objectivity that define ULRI’s role.

This is an exciting time in the history of ESRI. The VP will have an opportunity to set a growth strategy and expand ESRI’s mission and programs, deploying resources targeted to significantly grow beyond its current $16M/year over the next 5 years, including both internal and sponsored funding. This will include identification of research opportunities to address emerging needs and the development of unbiased scientific knowledge that will advance the safer design and deployment of energy-storage and energy-generation devices and the ecosystems that they power. The VP will further develop an extensive network of relationships with government agencies (e.g., the U.S. Department of Energy and other global entities focused on energy-relevant topics) and academic institutions to drive meaningful partnerships and research advancements. The intent is that these efforts will further establish ESRI and ULRI as pre-eminent safety science research institutions.

UL Research Institutes has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in the recruitment of the Vice President & Executive Director. All inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence below.