Laser System Engineering and Operations Group Leader

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact advancing science and technology to strengthen U.S. security and promote global stability. 

Our mission spans four critical national security areas nuclear deterrence, threat preparedness, energy security, and multi-domain defense empowering teams to take on the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow. With a culture built on innovation and operational excellence, LLNL is a place where your expertise can make a real impact.

Job Description

We have multiple openings for Engineering Group Leaders to lead a multi-disciplinary group of engineers responsible for supporting key operations, design, and R&D activities in the Laser Systems Engineering and Operations (LSEO) Division, within the Engineering Directorate. The openings include administratively leading groups that support teams in the Systems Engineering, Integrated Engineering, and Systems Integration Engineering Sections. You will have a critical role in fostering successful careers, creating a positive and inclusive working environment, and providing an outstanding staff to meet program needs.

This position requires full-time on-site presence due to the nature of the work.

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 teams, programs, or functions with a technical focus, operate under consultative direction with substantial authority, use subject matter expertise and significant team leadership experience, and exercise judgment within established policies to monitor workflow, allocate resources, ensure timely completion of projects, independently determine strategies, and achieve objectives while managing organizational impact and pursuing actions to achieve long-term goals.
• Provide technical and operational leadership and supervision, and administrative direction to a multi-disciplinary team of engineers.
• Lead and coordinate recruiting, hiring, training, career development, and performance management activities to meet programmatic staffing, employee development, and performance related and salary management needs, including providing career counseling, mentoring, and technical guidance.
• Collaborate with the NIF&PS / LMF leaders to identify and manage the assignments for the group members, define work objectives, and advise and evaluate staff on the execution of technical work.
• Lead and participate in formal and informal design reviews; provide guidance to group members on engineering excellence using Engineering Safety notes in accordance with Engineering Design Safety Standards, industry best practices, systems engineering, and project management.
• Mentor group members in design, analysis, implementation, and integration for components and systems with implementation of the systems engineering methodology in the Integrated Product Review Board process.
• Manage workforce projection working with programmatic managers to meet staff availability and training needs, using this information to help develop a vision for the group.
• Advocate for and prioritize alignment of work scope, ensuring it is adequately staffed and resourced to support successful execution and achievement of milestones and deliverables while managing multiple parallel tasks, resolving conflicting work requirements and setting priorities to meet defined targets.
• Maintain strong communications, collaborations, and contacts, internal and external to LLNL, and ensure that program risks and requirements are communicated in an effective and timely manner to senior leadership.
• Identify and foster Science & Technology initiatives in lasers, optics, diagnostics, or other applicable research areas for NIF&PS / LMF and Engineering.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SEL.5 level

• Provide technical and/or programmatic management solutions to highly unusual, complex, and/or sensitive issues where the solution path is not known ahead of time.
• Determine, build, and deliver strategic planning efforts and succession planning on long range goals, working with Division Leader, Deputy Division Leader, Associate Division Leader, Section Leader, and peer Group Leaders on refinement and successful execution of those goals.
• Influence strategic technical decisions made by senior management and external customers based on technical expertise.
• Serve as an organizational spokesperson and senior technical expert for Laboratory management and/or as an external advisor for customers and sponsors.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering discipline or related field or the equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Significant technical and operational leadership experience working effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment, including leading technical staff, coordinating across functions and disciplines, and fostering a collaborative, high performance culture focused on delivering highly complex program objectives.
• Significant experience with, subject matter expert knowledge of, and leadership skills in the design, analysis, and implementation in one or more of the following technical areas: hardware or systems used on precision optomechanical or electromechanical systems; design, assembly, and commissioning of systems; shot or facility operations; fabrication and process engineering of highly integrated systems; systems and project engineering; and project management with extensive interaction with funding sponsors.
• Significant experience leading technical presentations and participating in design reviews, identifying technical needs, developing practical approaches, and delivering strategic working solutions for program customers.
• Expert communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills necessary to lead a team, to present, explain, influence, and provide advice to management, program leaders, and sponsors, and to interpret and convey Laboratory policies to employees and promote situational awareness, as well as interpersonal skills to attract, motivate, and retain high performing technical staff.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage in a positive, professional manner by communicating effectively, empathizing with others, overcoming setbacks, and proactively defusing conflict, with an aptitude for mentoring and supervising staff and managing sensitive personnel matters with discretion and integrity.

Additional qualifications at the SEL.5 level

• Extensive experience leading highly complex personnel management issues, innovative workforce development activities, incident investigation teams, and policy initiatives at the Institutional or national level.
• Subject matter expertise and extensive leadership experience in advancing state-of-art technologies related to one or more precision clean systems, optomechanical or electromechanical systems, project management, optical engineering, or precision alignment.
• Extensive experience and expert ability to champion, lead, and develop innovative cutting-edge principles, theories, concepts, and technologies.
• Extensive experience translating abstract, high-level requirements into specific technical development strategies, and outlining project plans, tasks, and milestones.

Qualifications We Desire

• Master’s degree/PhD in Mechanical, Electrical, or Optical Engineering or related field.
• Significant experience with LLNL and Engineering administrative policies, procedures, and design safety practices and standards.
• Experience in payroll supervision, preparation of performance reviews, ranking and salary management, and knowledge of Engineering Directorate policies and procedures.
• Experience in high energy and power laser systems.
• Experience in Ombuds program or equivalent.

Pay Range

$227,430 - $346,140 Annually

$227,430 - $288,396 Annually for the SEL.4 level

$272,970 - $346,140 Annually for the SEL.5 level

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting.  An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Additional Information

#LI-Onsite

Position Information

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

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2026 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Our values - visit https://www.llnl.gov/inclusion/our-values

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance.  If you are selected, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing.  Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship. 

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.

Wireless and Medical Devices

Per the Department of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory must meet certain restrictions with the use and/or possession of mobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area where you are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile device in your possession.  This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.  

If you use a medical device, which pairs with a mobile device, you must still follow the rules concerning the mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas.  Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities require separate approval. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or wireless that has been disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings.

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.

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.