Physical Sciences Manager II

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).  Our MISSION is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by providing high-hazard experimentation and incident response capabilities through operations, engineering, education, field, and integration services and by acting as environmental stewards to the Site’s Cold War legacy.  Our VISION is to be the user site of choice for large-scale, high-hazard, national security experimentation, with premier facilities and capabilities below ground, on the ground, and in the air. (See NNSS.gov for our unique capabilities.) Our 2,750+ professional, craft, and support employees are called upon to innovate, collaborate, and deliver on some of the more difficult nuclear security challenges facing the world today.   

• MSTS offers our full-time employees highly competitive salaries and benefits packages including medical, dental, and vision; both a pension and a 401k; paid time off and 96 hours of paid holidays; relocation (if located more than 75 miles from work location); tuition assistance and reimbursement; and more.  
• MSTS is a limited liability company consisting of Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs), and HII Nuclear Inc.

The Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) is a key R&D innovator that provides the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and other government organizations with capabilities that address Department of Energy and Department of Defense national security requirements. Located in Santa Barbara, California, the laboratory is a unique satellite location within the NNSS and is responsive to NNSA nuclear security mission requirements and broader national security objectives. At STL “problem solving is in the DNA,” using a multidisciplinary team of experts composed of scientists, engineers, technicians, facilities specialists, academic collaborators, and professional support staff. 

As a manager and leader, you will be responsible for a professional workforce to deliver on our current commitments and innovate to tackle future national security threats. The NNSS is committed to an empowered workforce and encourages innovation through our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is essential to enable the innovation and creativity we need to ensure the success of the NNSS and continued delivery on our missions.

This role offers a unique blend of leadership and hands-on scientific contribution. Approximately 20% of your time will be dedicated to management responsibilities, including team mentorship, project coordination, and strategic planning. The remaining 80% will involve direct technical work on customer-facing projects, applying your scientific expertise to solve complex challenges and deliver innovative solutions, to include research and development activities in areas compatible with the missions of the Laboratory.  Some acceptable technical areas include: remote sensing, optical and mass spectrometry, chemistry and chemical physics (analytical systems, lasers and optics, inorganic materials synthesis, radiochemistry), quantum sensing.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintains and develops staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training scientific staff to meet the mission requirements of the Laboratory; maintaining a safe and secure work environment within the policies and directives of STL and the NNSS.
• Lead staff by communicating job expectations; plan, monitor, and appraise job results; provide coaching and accountability structure for employees.
• Responsible for leadership of the Physical Sciences Department within the Special Technologies Laboratory.
• Strategically guide the department by analyzing trends, setting objectives, and measuring results against business and financial goals.
• Oversee departmental budget and financial performance, including forecasting and variance management.
• Maintain and improve service quality through rigorous standards, problem resolution, and continuous process enhancement.
• Design and maintain operational systems, policies, and procedures to foster optimal team and resource effectiveness within the STL.
• Create an environment where employees raise, address, and resolve issues.
• Establish and manage a clear, sustainable framework to ensure the delivery of high-quality scientific support to all internal and external sponsors for the near- and long-term. Work with the Mission Development organization within the NNSS to identify and support sponsor requirements and needs.
• Establish direction and provide oversight of strategic R&D initiatives, which will require working closely with the various programmatic m