Director's Statutory Authority

As the equivalent of an Assistant Secretary, the Director of the Office of Science is nominated by the President of the United States and subject to confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

By statute, the Director of the Office of Science is the science advisor to the Secretary of Energy.

Following are the duties and responsibilities of the Director of the Office of Science, as provided in the Department of Energy Organization Act (Public Law 95-91, as amended):

Office of Science

Sec. 209. (a) There shall be within the Department an Office of Science to headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate….

b) It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Director—

1) to advise the Secretary with respect to the physical research program transferred to the Department from the Energy Research and Development Administration;
2) to monitor the Department’s energy research and development programs in order to advise the Secretary with respect to any undesirable duplication or gaps in such programs;
3) to advise the Secretary with respect to the well-being and management of the multipurpose laboratories under the jurisdiction of the Department, excluding laboratories that constitute part of the nuclear weapons complex;
4) to advise the Secretary with respect to education and training activities required for effective short- and long-term basic and applied research activities of the Department;
5) to advise the Secretary with respect to grants and other forms of financial assistance required for effective short- and long-term basic and applied research activities of the Department; and
6) to carry out such additional duties assigned to the Office by the Secretary relating to basic and applied research, including but not limited to supervision or support of research activities carried out by any of the Assistant Secretaries designated by section 203 of this Act, as the Secretary considers advantageous.
[42 U.S.C. 7139]