 Oppenheimer submitted his resignation as Director of the Los Alamos Laboratory , but remained until a successor could be found . The Director of the Manhattan Project , Major General Leslie R. Groves , Jr . , wanted someone with both a solid academic background and a high standing within the project . Oppenheimer recommended Bradbury . This was agreeable to Groves , who liked the fact that as a naval officer Bradbury was both a military man and a scientist . Bradbury accepted the offer on a six @-@ month trial basis . 
