The Under Secretary is dual hatted as the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology within the Commerce Department.

The current Under Secretary is Laurie E. Locascio, who was appointed by President Joe Biden and assumed office on April 19, 2022.

[1] As the Director of NIST, the Under Secretary is responsible for promoting American innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

With the rank of Under Secretary, the USC(ST)/Director is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule.

The position of Under Secretary/Director was created by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010.