Joe McBrearty

Joe McBrearty

Transition Director, Uranium Processing Facility Project

Joe McBrearty is transition director of the Uranium Processing Facility Project for Consolidated Nuclear Security, the management and operating contractor for the Y‑12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. UPF will support key missions of Y‑12 and ensure the long‑term viability, safety, and security of enriched uranium capabilities in the United States. As transition director, McBrearty oversees the commissioning of UPF from cold operations to eventual enriched uranium operations and the merger into Y‑12 Site Operations.

McBrearty has more than 40 years of senior leadership and management experience in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Department of Energy, and nuclear industry. He joined the UPF Project from AtkinsRéalis US Nuclear, where he most recently served as interim president and chief operating officer.

Before those roles, McBrearty was president and chief executive officer of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, a 4,500‑person organization spread across four Canadian provinces. He also previously served as chief operating officer and deputy director for Field Operations with the DOE Office of Science, overseeing the operations of 10 national laboratories. His work at the Office of Science included laying the groundwork for DOE’s strategic plans for general purpose infrastructure.

McBrearty served in the U.S. Navy, with time on four submarines, including as commanding officer of the USS Dallas. He also commanded the U.S. Navy Officer Training Command and the Trident Refit Facility in Kings Bay, Georgia.

He holds an M.A. in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Maryland.