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NIF&PS Laser Physicist
Physical Life Sciences | livermore, CA | 05/12/2023
Job Code: SES.3 Science & Engineering MTS 3 / SES.4 Science & Engineering MTS 4
Organization: NIF and Photon Science
Position Type: Career Indefinite
Security Clearance: Anticipated DOE Q clearance (requires U.S. citizenship and a federal background investigation)
Drug Test: Required for external applicant(s) selected for this position (includes testing for use of marijuana)
Medical Exam: Not applicable
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 committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is important for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.
Pay Range
$148,650.00 - $190,932.00 Annually for the SES.3 level
$178,410.00 - $229,116.00 Annually for the SES.4 level
Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.
Job Description
We have an opening for a highly experienced Laser Physicist to independently guide the development, research, design, analysis, modeling, testing, and fielding of advanced laser technologies and systems. 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 provide technical direction to an interdisciplinary team developing and deploying state-of-the-art high-intensity, long and short pulse laser systems for the Department of Energy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Much of the work in this group focuses on designing and modeling novel laser architectures as well as extending the capabilities of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). This position is in the NIF&PS Directorate within the Laser Science & Systems Engineering group.
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.
In this role, you will
- Provide strategies and direct efforts of interdisciplinary teams that research, design, develop, integrate, and field or enhance in performance advanced, high-energy laser systems, high peak power lasers and high average power laser technologies, incorporating essential new physics models and new technologies to meet priorities of evolving missions.
- Guide systems design and apply system-level engineering principles to a wide variety of advanced laser design and analysis projects using novel approaches to develop operational, system and subsystem solutions.
- Lead integrated experiments in the fields of nonlinear optics, long & short pulse, high-power and high-energy laser physics, or laser secondary source generation.
- Develop complex theoretical and numerical systems models needed to corroborate or anticipate experimental results that test advanced, coupled physics and modeling capabilities in collaboration with laboratory scientists and engineers.
- Provide recommendations to leadership and technical team regarding project vision and strategy independently, under minimal supervision and influence technical direction for self and others, while providing technical and intellectual leadership on research and development projects.
- Prepare and provide technical presentations and publications for internal and external audiences.
- Advise senior management on involved technical strategies.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.4 level
- Utilize highly advanced knowledge and expertise to guide and oversee research, design, and enhancement or development of state-of-the-art laser systems including elements that are frequently not well defined and often involve uncertain factors.
- Apply subject matter expertise and leadership in Joule-class short-pulse amplification, in hundred+ Joule-class long-pulse amplification, thermal/birefringence effects, or nonlinear optical effects to further evolve missions.
- Lead and perform highly complex and detailed signal and image analysis of extensive, highly intricate, and integrated laser performance experiments and their corresponding modeling.
- Develop in-depth and highly complex nonlinear optics models – fiber or free-space – from their theoretical aspect to their numerical implementation potentially for massively parallel high-performance computer systems to explain the detailed and integrated performance of laser systems.
Qualifications
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
- PhD in Laser Physics, Applied Physics, general solid-state laser engineering, high average power laser technology and thermal, birefringence management techniques, short and long pulse laser physics, and/or nonlinear optics as applied to laser development, modeling, applications, and operations or related field or the equivalent combination of education and relevant previous experience.
- Advanced knowledge of and significant experience with complex analytical, numerical modeling and experiments needed to make recommendations and lead strategies for scientific and/or technical projects.
- Significant experience in systems architectures for advanced laser design and analysis projects.
- Advanced knowledge and significant experience recommending, developing, and implementing solutions to a diverse range of difficult and complex problems.
- Experience guiding, leading, and mentoring team members.
- Advanced communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills necessary to present, explain, and advise senior management.
Additional qualifications at the SES.4 level
- Substantial knowledge and subject matter expertise developing highly complex state-of-the-art laser systems in an R&D environment.
- Expert level knowledge and expertise in Joule-class short pulse amplification or in hundred+ Joule-class long pulse amplification, thermal effects, or nonlinear optical effects and their respective modeling.
- Substantial experience developing and utilizing highly complex laser performance and/or laser propagation modeling codes from their theoretical aspect to their numerical implementation potentially in massively parallel high-performance computer systems.
Additional Information
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
#PT
Position Information
This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.
Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?
- Flexible Benefits Package
- 401(k)
- Relocation Assistance
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
- Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity
- Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values
- Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement
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.
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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.
We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.
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.
