Senior Scientist - Physicist

Nevada National Security Sites•Livermore, CA

About The Position

MSTS seeks a Senior Scientist / Physicist for the High Energy Density Experiments (HEDE) Team at its Livermore Operations site. The role leads the design, development, and operational fielding of advanced diagnostics across infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and neutron regimes. The work takes diagnostic instruments from conceptual physics requirements through benchtop calibration and characterization to deployment in support of subcritical dynamic experiments and stockpile stewardship campaigns. The position involves close technical collaboration with principal investigators at major user facilities, primarily the Nevada National Security Site, the National Ignition Facility at LLNL, and the Omega Laser Facility. It includes laboratory and field work with hazardous systems and occasional travel to North Las Vegas, NNSS in Mercury, Nevada, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. The selected applicant must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance and meet related eligibility requirements, including U.S. citizenship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a calculus-based technical STEM field and at least 5 years of relevant experience; skill-building experience must demonstrate deeper technical specialization or additional cross-disciplinary knowledge. Graduate research experience may be recognized.
Alternatively, a master’s degree in an applicable STEM discipline and at least 3 years of progressive, relevant experience.
Alternatively, a Ph.D. in an applicable STEM discipline with doctoral or postdoctoral research directly aligned with dynamic experimentation, laser-plasma physics, high-energy-density science, or optical/nuclear diagnostics.
Experience setting up and operating research and development instrumentation in a laboratory setting.
Experience with programming platforms, technical writing, communication, PCs, and PC application software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Ability to build teaming relationships with technical and other company organizations.
Ability to execute work in a disciplined manner in compliance with laws, codes, orders, and MSTS policies and procedures, and to interpret applicable codes and standards.
Ability to work in hazardous environments involving high-voltage systems, visible and ultraviolet lasers, large-scale pulsed-power machines, and vacuum and pressurized systems.
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, work independently, and work as part of a team.
Willingness to travel occasionally to the North Las Vegas Facility, NNSS in Mercury, Nevada, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Ability to obtain physical, on-site access at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Must possess a valid driver’s license.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance; this requires U.S. citizenship and being at least 18 years of age.
Must complete required pre-employment drug testing and background review, and meet federal background-investigation and classified-access eligibility requirements.
Must complete a pre-placement physical examination, including a drug screen, and participate in random drug testing.
Successful completion of a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination, may be required.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Optics, or Nuclear Engineering.
Knowledge of Chicago, COMSOL, MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, or AI-related software.
Knowledge of spectroscopy, crystallography, metrology, atomic physics, and nuclear physics.
High-voltage pulsed-power experience.
Knowledge of mechanical and electrical design.
Direct operational experience designing, fielding, or analyzing data from diagnostic instruments at NIF, the Omega Laser Facility, the Z Machine, or underground testing environments.
Advanced domain expertise in X-ray imaging, neutron imaging, high-speed streak or framing cameras, or time-resolved optical spectroscopy.
Experience writing successful technical proposals and serving as a Principal Investigator.

Responsibilities

Devise imaginative, thorough, and practical solutions that may be unique and require evaluation of standards and processes.
Design, model, and specify diagnostics spanning infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and neutron regimes using tools such as Chicago, COMSOL, MATLAB, Python, or machine learning frameworks.
Apply atomic and nuclear physics, spectroscopy, metrology, and crystallography principles to develop and calibrate specialized detectors.
Serve as a subject matter expert on diagnostic physics, analytical methods, and instrumentation for collaborators and leadership.
Incorporate mechanical and electrical design best practices into instrument integration, bench testing, and hardware assembly.
Draft and maintain standard operating procedures, automated control routines such as LabVIEW routines, and safety documentation for laboratory and field setups.
Field, align, and operate diagnostics during shot cycles at Livermore Operations and partner facilities, including NNSS, NIF, LANL, and SNL.
Troubleshoot electromechanical, optical, and physics-related issues during testing and shot execution.
Process, calibrate, and analyze raw shot data, including uncertainty quantification and physical interpretation.
Write technical reports, test plans, journal manuscripts, and SDRD proposals.
Coordinate schedules, deliverables, and field interfaces with shot directors and facility operations.
Maintain safe, disciplined, and communicative laboratory and field work practices.
Develop processes, procedures, and work instructions.
Foster a work environment that supports open communication and trust.