Center for Global Security Research Postdoctoral Researcher

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 dedicated to fostering a culture that values individuals, talents, partnerships, ideas, experiences, and different perspectives, recognizing their importance to the continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range

$118,068 Annually

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting; pay will not be below any applicable local minimum wage.  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.

Job Description

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s Postdoctoral Research Programs provide mentored training to enhance professional skills and research independence for individuals who have recently earned their doctoral degree and are pursuing their chosen career path.

We're looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher for the Center for Global Security Research (CGSR). CGSR was established at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in 1996 to serve as a bridge between the science & technology experts at the lab and the broader national security policy communities. Given LLNL’s mission to support nuclear deterrence, CGSR’s core topics are related to nuclear matters, including strategic deterrence, international stability, arms control, and nonproliferation. The Center also conducts work on other topics related to the changing security environment such as regional studies, emerging and potentially disruptive technologies, energy issues, and biosecurity. The five main research thrust areas at the Center are:

• Major Power Rivalry and Conflict,
• New Regional Challengers and Challenges,
• Toward Deterrence Strategy 3.0,
• Future of Long-Term Competitive Strategies, and
• Future of Cooperative Strategies to Reduce Global Dangers.

Complete descriptions of the CGSR thrust areas and examples of the Center’s work can be found at https://cgsr.llnl.gov/. 

The Center works to achieve these objectives by 1) convening seminars with outside speakers to better understand national policy priorities and national and international developments bearing on the lab’s missions, 2) providing analysis and expertise to laboratory leadership in support of strategic planning and to national leadership in policy development and implementation, and 3) advancing thinking about contemporary and emerging national security challenges related to strategic conflict through independent research, workshops, and publications. The Center’s work is conducted on an entirely unclassified basis and is multidisciplinary and entirely nonpartisan in character.

CGSR Postdoctoral Researchers will spend their time engaged in research and writing and are expected to participate in seminars and workshops and to interact and collaborate with leading scientists and researchers across the lab. They will have the opportunity to conduct research on the scientific and technical aspects of security topics, as well as to work in collaboration with CGSR research staff. The CGSR Postdoctoral Researcher provides an unparalleled opportunity for scholars to explore complex national and international security problems across the five thrust areas and innovative solutions in a collaborative research environment.

Application Details

• Research abstract (200 words max)
• Research project prospectus or description of dissertation (1,500 words max, not including footnotes/endnotes)
• Writing sample (50 pages max)
• Three references (will be contacted if short-listed).

All application updates and attachments should be submitted by January 17, 2026. 

Selected applicants are expected to start no later than September 1, 2026

You will

• Conduct research on politically significant national security topics in line with CGSR research thrust areas.  
• Meet with your CGSR mentor at least once a month to review and refine your research topic, discuss project progress, and receive general career and intellectual guidance. 
• Publish papers in external outlets such as peer-reviewed journals and/or via CGSR’s in-house publication options.
• Communicate and present research findings to different audiences, including the labora