Materials Scientist – Staff Scientist

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 in good faith 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 an opening for a Materials Scientist to support research of explosives and polymers in the areas of materials aging, compatibility, and performance. In this role, you would be an integral member of an interdisciplinary team responsible for conducting and supporting research in LLNL mission-related areas. This position is in the Aging & Compatibility of Manufactured Explosives (ACME) group within the Energetic Materials & Design (EMD) section of the Materials Science Division, supporting the Energetic Materials Center (EMC).

This position may offer a hybrid schedule, which includes the flexibility to work from home one or more days per week, after a probationary period. The specifics of the hybrid schedule, including the exact number of days required in the office and virtual work options may vary based on the needs of the team and the organization. 

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

• Conduct limited complexity directed research to understand material aging phenomena.
• Contribute to the development of diagnostics for materials aging, compatibility, and performance assessments of explosives and explosive-containing components.
• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, technicians, and integration experts from LLNL and its sponsors in all aspects of system development.
• Collaborate with other team members in the design, implementation, and qualification of cutting-edge research and system development.
• Contribute to project/program milestone completion and provide solutions to problems of limited complexity using standard techniques and methodologies.
• Work with energetic materials and obtain LLNL certification to handle explosives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.2 level

• Independently perform exploratory operations using a variety of analytical instrumentation (e.g., FTIR, profilometry, XRF, DSC, and Raman).
• Document development activities, write reports/memos, and deliver updates and project briefings external to the working group.
• Define and prioritize tasks and goals to ensure project needs are addressed in a timely and efficient manner.
• Work independently and with teams to solve moderately complex to complex problems in the areas of engineering hardware design, chemical analysis, spectroscopy, and testing that require analysis and creative use of established techniques and methods.

Qualifications

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, physics, materials science, engineering, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Practical hands-on experience with scientific testing of materials.
• Ability to obtain certification as an explosives handler (LLNL training).
• Ability to perform independent work with technical objectives and ability to meet schedule and deliverables for multiple concurrent projects with a range of priorities.
• Ability to work in a collaborative research and development environment.

Additional qualifications at the SES.2 level

• Comprehensive knowledge in one or more of the following: engineering hardware design, chemical analysis, spectroscopic techniques, material testing methods.
• Ex