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 important for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range

$206,490 - $318,216 Annually

$206,490 - $265,188 Annually for the SEL.4 level 
$247,800 - $318,216 Annually for the SEL.5 level 

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

We have an opening for the Mechanical Properties of Explosives (MPX) Group Leader. In this role, you will administratively and programmatically manage the group responsible for the design, commissioning, and execution of our mechanical testing capabilities for high explosives in support of the Strategic Defense Program (SD). In addition, you will be the lead interface to the other program elements who rely on MPX efforts. This includes overseeing test execution, coordinating with stakeholders to deconflict priorities, and providing regular updates on the progress of testing activities.

As an administrative supervisor, your responsibilities include managing the technical workforce and working with program leadership to build and maintain technical expertise, including identifying current engineering capability gaps within the organization and developing staff to meet those needs. This role is administratively in the Defense Technologies Engineering Division, within the Engineering Directorate. 

This position may offer a hybrid schedule, blending in-person and virtual presence. You may have the flexibility to work from home one or more days per week.

This position 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. 

You will

• Supervise and provide administrative direction, guidance, support, mentoring, coaching, and promote teamwork for group personnel. Participate in performance reviews, peering, and salary management processes.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to identify testing needs and act upon priorities defined by the program stakeholders to schedule for MPX testing efforts. Reach out to stakeholders when conflicts arise and actively support deconfliction/prioritization activities.
• Monitor performance required to meet programmatic milestones and deliverables and lead corrective actions where necessary.
• Analyze, determine, and implement processes to strengthen testing throughput and tracking.
• Maintain exacting standards of test design and reporting: participate in or lead engineering design reviews; oversee and approve engineering test plans and reports; and maintain unimpeachable quality of test data, maintaining traceability to standards as required.
• Recruit, hire, and onboard new staff as needed to meet programmatic staffing needs in the Weapons Technology and Engineering (WTE) Program Element.
• Ensure explosive operations within the group are performed safely and in accordance with laboratory guidelines.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in mechanical properties at meetings, briefings, design reviews, and committee activities both internal and external to the laboratory.
• Maintain robust communications, collaborations, and contacts to ensure projects’ status, risks, and issues are communicated in an effective and timely manner to senior leadership and applicable external customers and sponsors.
• Pursue new customers and opportunities to grow the scope and diversity of mechanical testing.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SEL.5 level

• Use creativity and innovation to lead the application, development, and advancement of principles, theories, and concepts related to mechanical properties.
• Provide support for activities that help in managing a strong and capable workforce, including facilitating good team dynamics, and ensuring that adequate resources are provided to meet program/project goals and needs.
• Influence strategic technical decisions made by senior management and external customers.
• Serve as organizational spokesperson and senior technical expert for Laboratory management and/or as an external advisor for customers and sponsors and serve on external scientific or technical committees.

• This position requires an active Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance or active Top Secret clearance issued by another U.S. government agency at the time of hire.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Significant experience and subject matter expert knowledge in mechanical testing, including data collection, processing, and analysis for component testing; methodologies and tools used in test data archival; specification of appropriate diagnostics, data acquisition, and digital signal processing techniques; and mechanical test facility operations, upgrade, and maintenance.
• Effective organizational skills, and significant advanced level knowledge and experience with project management tools and techniques, including work planning, scheduling, cost estimating, analysis and managing financial data, and project reporting.
• Ability to promote and maintain productive relationships across directorates, with other laboratories, and with personnel from external entities, using highly advanced communication and collaboration skills necessary to present, explain, and advise senior management and/or external sponsors.
• Effective leadership, interpersonal, and systems engineering skills necessary to assign, lead, and manage personnel supporting the program.
• Ability to travel.

Additional qualifications at the SEL.5 level

• Expert communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills necessary to lead a team, advise and influence senior management, and positively represent the Program and the Laboratory.
• Extensive experience and expert technical knowledge to address advancements that may have impact beyond the Laboratory.
• Extensive experience and ability to seek out, lead, develop, and apply advanced and innovative principles, theories, and concepts related to mechanical properties.

Qualifications We Desire

• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, or related field.
• Able to acquire HE handler certification.
• Advanced knowledge of nuclear or conventional weapon systems, their design, their stockpile-to-target environments, and their material failure mechanisms.

#LI-Hybrid

Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2024 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity
• Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values 
• Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement

Security Clearance

This position requires an active Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance or active Top Secret clearance issued by another U.S. government agency at time of hire. 

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must 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.

How to identify fake job advertisements

Please be aware of recruitment scams where people or entities are misusing the name of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to post fake job advertisements. LLNL never extends an offer without a personal interview and will never charge a fee for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Career Page under “Find Your Job” of our website. If you have encountered a job posting or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond.

To learn more about recruitment scams: https://www.llnl.gov/sites/www/files/2023-05/LLNL-Job-Fraud-Statement-Updated-4.26.23.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. 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.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request. 

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.