Senior Engineering Associate

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.

We have multiple openings for Senior Engineering Associates. You will work independently by collaborating with scientists, engineers, and top-level technical personnel to provide highly advanced technical and technical management support in mechanical, electronics, and laser/electro-optic technologies to support complex engineering, research, and operational systems. You will conduct research to find solutions to engineering problems along with providing leadership in developing, designing, documenting, analyzing, operating, maintaining, and improving highly complex mechanical, electronic, software, and laser/electro-optic systems. You will plan and lead multiple projects of significant scope. You will author, review, and approve reports, manuals, and other engineering documentation as well as routinely presenting this material to superiors and subordinates. This position is in the Laser Systems Engineering & Operations (LSEO) Division within the Engineering Directorate.

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

In this role, you will

• Provide highly advanced technical support in originating, developing, analyzing, evaluating, troubleshooting, and documenting highly complex mechanical, electronic, and laser/electro-optic engineering systems and solutions.
• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and high-level technical personnel to support the design, development, operation, maintenance, and improvement of highly complex prototype, production, research, and operational systems.
• Develop and refine technical systems, operations, and maintenance strategies for highly complex multidisciplinary systems.
• Lead the design, documentation, modification, testing, integration, operation, and maintenance of highly complex mechanical, electronics, instrumentation, controls, software-enabled, and laser/electro-optic systems.
• Define high-level technical requirements into detailed engineering solutions, technical documentation, operational approaches, and implementation plans.
• Develop, author, review, and approve technical documentation including reports, engineering analyses, procedures, operation and maintenance manuals, schedules, and related engineering documents.
• Perform and review highly complex data analysis, technical evaluations, troubleshooting results, and system performance assessments to support engineering decisions.
• Provide technical leadership to multidisciplinary teams; assign tasks, define technical approaches, oversee work execution, and mentor technical personnel.
• Train and qualify others in specific on-the-job technical assignments, procedures, engineering best practices, and applicable Laboratory processes.
• Ensure assignments are performed in accordance with applicable ES&H, security, code, standards, and engineering rigor requirements.
• Apply a high degree of independent discretion and judgment to define project approaches and implement original technical solutions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering Technology, Electro-Optic Technology, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Highly advanced experience supporting and solving problems involving complex mechanical, electronics, and laser/electro-optic systems.
• Extensive experience developing, documenting, modifying, evaluating, operating, maintaining, and improving highly complex technical systems in research, development, production, or operations environments.
• Extensive experience making independent technical decisions on highly complex assignments with safety, operational, performance, schedule, and cost impacts.
• Extensive experience planning, organizing, budgeting, and leading multiple projects of significant scope and complexity.
• Extensive experience authoring, reviewing, approving, and presenting engineering reports, manuals, procedures, and related technical documentation.
• Advanced leadership skills, including leading technical teams or groups, assigning work, defining technical approaches, mentoring staff, and providing specific on-the-job training.
• Highly advanced written, verbal, feedback, presentation, and communication skills with the ability to present highly complex technical material to management and outside collaborators.
• Extensive experience analyzing technical requirements and using creativity, independent discretion, and judgment to develop original engineering solutions.
• May be required to meet, maintain, and qualify in technical or engineering disciplines necessary for programmatic operations, maintenance, or ES&H requirements, and train and qualify others.

Qualifications We Desire

• Demonstrated multidisciplinary experience spanning mechanical, electrical/electronics, and laser/electro-optic systems.
• Demonstrated experience supporting highly complex prototype or specialized systems.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including workforce planning, mentoring, technical oversight, and leadership succession development.
• Experience supporting engineering work in high-consequence research, production, or operational environments.

Pay Range

$151,620 - $185,640 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.

#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.