Senior Project Engineer- LSEO

Livermore, CA, USA
Full-time
Job Code 1: SEL.3 Science & Engineering TSL 3
Job Code 2: SEL.4 Science & Engineering TSL 4
Organization: Engineering
Category: Engineering
Security Clearance: Anticipated DOE Q clearance (requires U.S. citizenship and a federal background investigation)
Pre-Placement Medical Exam: Not applicable
Pre-Employment Drug Test: Required for external applicant(s) selected for this position (includes testing for use of marijuana)
Position Type: Career Indefinite
Referral Bonus: Not applicable

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States’ security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is essential to innovation and creativity for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Job Description

We have multiple openings for Senior Project Engineers to lead multi-disciplinary teams in the development of high average power and advanced high energy laser systems for Advanced Photon Technologies (APT), National Ignition Facility (NIF), and Department of Defense Technology (DODT) programs as Systems Engineer.  You will interact and collaborate with scientific and engineering personnel, support staff, and senior management to assure effective project execution from the planning and proposal preparation phase through project completion.  These positions are in the Laser Systems Engineering and Operations (LSEO) Division of the Engineering Directorate and support the National Ignition Facility and Photon Science (NIF&PS) Directorate.

These positions will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level. 

In this role you will 

• Lead appropriate aspects of a multi-disciplinary team including engineers, scientists, and technical staff to develop new laser technologies in support of APT, NIF, and/or DODT programs, directing technical tasks and projects and setting the technical direction of a broad team of scientists, engineers, and analysts.
• Define laser system requirements flow-down from mission requirements to guide system design and risk mitigation activities, including determination and documentation of technical objectives and Concept of Operations (ConOps) requirements.
• Establish business plans for program development and execution as well as costing and guiding the completion of projects to budget.
• Perform technical assessments and trade-off studies for presentations and reports to internal and external review teams and sponsors.
• Plan and oversee complex research and development activities and ensure the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of underlying core competencies while ensuring a safety, security, and quality management systems and standards are established and adhered to.
• Develop and manage schedules and budgets in support of projects and participate in working groups and design reviews, both internal and external, in support of engineering capability development, safety assessments, and project lifecycle.
• Develop and apply advanced standards and controls for quality assurance and configuration management in support of manufacturing processes, engineered systems, documentation, and other deliverables.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SEL.4 level

• Responsible for championing projects and for attracting and retaining project funding by establishing vision and strategy for projects.
• Collaborate with sponsors and lead industry partners to address sponsor needs from the Subject Matter Expert (SME) perspective.
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with program sponsors and foster integration with relevant national and international scientific organizations and their activities.
• Perform supervisory functions including staff training and development, conducting performance reviews, ranking, mentoring, and salary management.
• Influence strategic technical decisions made by senior management and internal customers and serve as organization spokesperson by Laboratory management and/or external advisor by sponsors.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Master of Science degree in Laser Science Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and previous relevant experience.
• Advanced knowledge and significant prior hands-on experience in an R&D engineering discipline.
• Experience overseeing multiple phases of project life cycle management and rigorous engineering requirements.
• Experience developing, managing, and evaluating programs, projects, and personnel in a technically diverse organization, as well as managing financial activities, to ensure program and overhead accounts are properly maintained and overseen.
• Experience guiding and providing strategic direction for projects to a diverse group of engineers.
• Experience working with third parties including transferring technologies to other organizations.
• Expert communication, facilitation, collaboration, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills necessary to lead a diverse organization, guide innovative research, build cooperative multi-disciplinary teams, and interact with management and customers/sponsors. High degree of integrity, maturity, discretion, and judgement.
• Experience ensuring that security, ES&H, and quality management systems and standards are established and adhered to.
• Ability to work with conflicting priorities and multiple tasking and deadlines.
• Ability to travel to national and international programmatic and scientific meetings.

Additional qualifications at the SEL.4 level

• Significant experience and highly advanced knowledge of laser high average power/high energy laser system development.
• Supervisory experience including highly advanced ability to delegate effectively and to lead, motivate, and build highly complex interdisciplinary teams to work toward programmatic and institutional goals; including experience in development and implementation of performance reviews, ranking, and salary management; demonstrated ability to set clear goals and expectations, and communicate them to customers and division employees.
• Technical expertise at the Technical Fellow/Senior Technical Fellow level in one or more areas of Laser Physics, Laser Engineering, Systems Engineering with proven record of scientific creativity, achievement, and leadership, as documented in publications, conference proceedings, and professional recognition.

Qualifications We Desire

• Ph.D. in laser science and engineering, physics, chemistry, or engineering.
• Extensive experience working with high average power and high energy laser systems either pulsed and/or CW (continuous wave).
• Understanding of a diverse laboratory and national research environment, and the ability to work within that environment towards long-range goals.
• Familiarity with DOE/NNSA programs and oversight of FFRDCs, as well as with programs and core capabilities relevant to DoD technology programs.

Additional Information

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2021 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor
• Work for a premier innovative national Laboratory
• Comprehensive Benefits Package
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Collaborative, creative, inclusive, and fun team environment

Learn more about our company, selection process, position types and security clearances by visiting our Career site. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate

LLNL demonstrates its commitment to public safety by requiring that all new Laboratory employees be immunized against COVID-19 unless granted an accommodation under applicable state or federal law. This requirement will apply to all new hires including those who will be working on site, as well as those who will be teleworking.

Security Clearance

LLNL is a Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Laboratory.  Some positions will require a DOE L or Q clearance (please reference Security Clearance requirement above).  If you are selected and a clearance is required, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. In addition, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing.  An L or Q clearance requires U.S. citizenship.  For additional information please see DOE Order 472.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position will be required to pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Pre-Placement Medical Exam

A job related pre-placement medical examination may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

LLNL is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer that values and hires a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via our online form. 

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.