The Under Secretary for Science is a high-ranking position within the United States Department of Energy

United States Department of Energy

The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...

. The position was created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005

Energy Policy Act of 2005

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is a bill passed by the United States Congress on July 29, 2005, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 8, 2005, at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico...

, and the first Under Secretary for Science, Raymond L. Orbach

Raymond L. Orbach

Raymond Lee Orbach is an American physicist and administrator. He served as Under Secretary for Science in the United States Department of Energy from 2006 until 2009, when he was replaced by Steven E. Koonin...

, was sworn in on June 1, 2006. The Under Secretary is appointed by the President of the United States

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 and confirmed by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

. In March 2009, Steve Koonin was nominated to replace Orbach.

The Under Secretary serves as the Secretary of Energy's Science and Technology advisor, monitors the Department of Energy's research and development programs, and advises the Secretary on any gaps or duplications in them. The Under Secretary advises the Secretary on the management and the state of the national laboratories

United States Department of Energy National Laboratories

The United States Department of Energy National Laboratories and Technology Centers are a system of facilities and laboratories overseen by the United States Department of Energy for the purpose of advancing science and helping promote the economic and defensive national interests of the United...

overseen by the Department.

The Under Secretary also advises the Secretary on the Department's educational and training activities. Other aspects include advising the Secretary on the coordinating and planning of research activities, advising the Secretary on financial assistance for research activities, and carrying out additional duties assigned by the Secretary, including supervising and supporting the lower-ranking Assistant Secretaries' research activities. In the words of the Act, the Under Secretary is required to have "extensive background in science or engineering fields," and to be "well qualified to manage the civilian research and development programs of the Department."