Early-Career Hanford Program Manager Seeks Best Practices, Efficiencies

RICHLAND, Wash. – To keep up with all he has learned since joining the EM Richland Operations Office (RL), Sean Madderom has a 37-page-and-counting document filled with acronyms.

“You have to find a way to deal with all that information coming in,” said Madderom, the RL electrical utilities program manager. “Each person is going to handle that differently.”

Madderom has been with RL since January 2017 and moved into his current position in June 2017. He is also the RL liaison to the Bonneville Power Administration, which maintains five substations across the 580-square-mile Hanford Site, and oversees the four substations that Hanford contractor Mission Support Alliance operates and maintains.

“Sean demonstrates positive leadership, brings new perspectives, has strong core values, and is a valuable asset to our team,” said Sharee Dickinson, director of the RL infrastructure and services division. “His ability to take on responsibilities and hit the ground running in the electrical utilities program is quite impressive.”

Only a few years into his tenure as a federal employee, Madderom has a bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in mathematics, and a master’s degree in electrical engineering.

“I like to see all the technical work and to be able to work with engineers,” he said. “I also like that it’s practical, and it’s interesting to see how it all gets used in the field.”

Madderom has an eye out for the better way to face the challenge maintaining and improving infrastructure across the Hanford Site.

“I think there are efficiencies to be gained, so I’m curious to see how the new technologies coming in can help us,” he said. “We’re doing good work out here, trying to support the mission. People don’t always think about the lights that are on or the water that is running, but it’s very important.”

Editor's note: In an occasional series, EM Update profiles early career professionals across the EM complex.