Charles Nakhleh became the new deputy director for weapons at the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico effective April 1, lab management announced recently.
Nakhleh assumes the post following the March 31 retirement of Robert Webster, who finished up a 40-year career with the nuclear security enterprise, according to a recent press release.
Nakhleh, who joined the lab 30 years ago, now assumes the helm of sections and program efforts linked with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) weapons programs, according to the press release. This includes roughly 6,000 employees and about $6 billion worth of infrastructure associated with NNSA weapons. This includes four lab directorates: weapons physics, weapons engineering, weapons production and plutonium infrastructure,
Before being appointed deputy director, Nakhleh was most recently associate laboratory director for weapons physics, where he has overseen the lab’s weapons physics and design portfolio, according to the release. He also has spent six years at Sandia National Laboratories.
“Throughout his career, Charlie has exemplified the integrity, rigor and sense of purpose that define Los Alamos, and the lab’s leadership team and I firmly believe he is the right person for the job,” Lab Director Thom Mason said in the release. Mason also thanked Webster for “his lasting contributions to our national security mission.”