Mechanical Engineer-Precision Engineering, NIF&PS

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

$117,180 - $178,392 Annually

$117,180 - $148,608 Annually for the SES.1 level

$140,700 - $178,392 Annually for the SES.2 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; 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

We have multiple openings for Precision Mechanical Engineers. This work will take place within the National Ignition Facility & Photon Science (NIF&PS) Directorate, home to the world’s most energetic laser.  It is an exciting time to join the team that achieved fusion ignition in December 2022, a historic moment in science, opening up new physics regimes and setting the stage for new fusion energy possibilities.

You will work on projects and provide technical expertise involving electromechanical systems with integrated electrical, optical, and mechanical components, novel laser diagnostics, large-scale laser beam path mechanics, positioners for precision laser components, and laser system support hardware.  In addition, you will provide engineering solutions for a variety of projects ranging from development of the next generation laser systems to upgrades to the current systems and will be involved throughout the product development life cycle, starting with concept initiation and requirements gathering and continuing to implementation, testing, and installation of the system. These positions are in the Laser Systems Engineering and Operations (LSEO) Division, within the Engineering 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,

• Engineer current and next generation laser and electromechanical systems and supporting equipment and components by developing conceptual designs and performing supporting analysis in accordance with derived requirements under general direction.
• Contribute and function as a team member to the detail design process, component part fabrication, and unit assembly for systems of limited complexity.
• Contribute and function as a team member for the design and characterization of precision machine subsystems to include prototype testing and diagnostics, assessing tolerance stack-ups, formulating error budgets, and applying measured error compensation systems.
• Develop and execute test plans for prototype components and systems.
• Analyze components and provide supporting safety and engineering documentation.
• Present at and participate in engineering design reviews.
• Prepare technical documents and author technical presentations.
• Develop and execute commissioning, maintenance, and calibration procedures for well-defined subsystems including analyzing, summarizing, and presenting resulting data.
• Generate detailed plans, schedules, and budgets for project activities under general direction.
• Collaborate with team members to ensure the successful integration and proper functioning of commissioned systems. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.2 level

• Review scope, schedule, budget, and quality of moderately complex to complex engineering work and provide regular updates to management.
• Define requirements and design experiments to develop advanced capabilities utilizing comprehensive knowledge of systems engineering processes.
• Select methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for detailed hardware design and function of commissioning instrumentation and tooling under limited direction. 

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related disci