In a move that could impact the local economy, Los Alamos National Laboratory announced plans to move 500 workers to Santa Fe. The announcement comes after the national laboratory released details about a separate facility in Downtown Santa Fe for educational partnerships, workforce development initiatives, tech transfer and other things, according to a Monday release from LANL.
The employee relocation is significant due to its size and the fact that many LANL employees are well paid. The salaries of those working at both Santa Fe locations total $67 million in direct payroll, according to a statement from director Thom Mason. Lab employees are part of Triad National Security, the contractor that manages.
The move will make the lab a significant employer in Santa Fe, and could bring more money and jobs into the city's economy.
The newly-leased properties total more than 77,000 square feet of space at the corner of Pacheco Street and St. Michael's Drive. The location offers space for employees in the lab's administrative services departments including human resources, procurement, finance and information technology, according to the release, which adds that "no hazardous work will be carried out there."
The Pacheco Street facility is expected to be in use in fall 2021, the release says.
"The Laboratory welcomes the opportunity to make a positive economic impact on Santa Fe and be a good employer,” Mason said in a statement.
A LANL representative was unable to be reached for further comment on the relocation or the real estate transaction.
“Having two major office buildings fully occupied promises to strengthen the Santa Fe economy and anchor the St. Michael’s commercial corridor,” said Bridget Dixson, president and CEO of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, in a statement. “The chamber is pleased to welcome the laboratory to the business community.”
While the employees that are being relocated to the Pacheco Street offices are not new hires, LANL expects to add 1,200 new employees in fiscal year 2021, hundreds more than were added during the previous fiscal year, according to the release. The laboratory, which aims to advance Department of Energy missions such as national security and environmental management, employs roughly 13,100 people. More than 9,300 work for Triad National Security, according to the lab's website.
Triad is a nonprofit organization consisting of the Battelle Memorial Institute, the Regents of the University of California and The Texas A&M University System. The organization recently received a "very good" rating from the National Nuclear Security Administration as part of its yearly performance review, Business First reported last month.
