user avatar

Scientific Associate / Senior Scientific Associate

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Posted today
DoE Q or L
$125,310 - $185,640
Unspecified
Livermore, CA (On-Site/Office)

Company Description

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.

Pay Range: $125,310- $185,640 Annually
$125,310- $153,444 Annually at the 302.1 level
$151,620- $185,640 Annually at the 302.2 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. 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 Scientific Associate/Sr. Scientific Associate in support of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Integrated Safety Team. This position provides advanced technical support to NIF operations involving the calibration, testing, maintenance, troubleshooting, and application of radiation detection, chemical, and radiochemical analytical systems while following ES&H and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) requirements.

This role works closely with NIF Radiological Operations management, Radiological Control Technicians, the Radiation Calibration Laboratory, Industrial Hygiene Instrumentation Laboratory, and other LLNL stakeholders. The position is within the Analytical Services & Instrumentation Division of the Technical Services Department of the Environment, Safety & Health (ES&H) Directorate.

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

You will:
  • Collaborate with scientists and high-level technical personnel to plan, execute, and interpret technical experiments, data, and processes.
  • Analyze and interpret complex analytical data, report results, identify problems, and develop approaches to resolve technical issues.
  • Operate, calibrate, maintain, and troubleshoot analytical and detection instrumentation, including liquid scintillation counters, gamma and alpha spectroscopy systems, beryllium fluorometers, continuous air monitors, and portable radiological and industrial hygiene instruments.
  • Follow established QA/QC programs, identify non-conformances, recommend improvements, and maintain complete, accurate, compliant records in accordance with regulatory, LLNL, and NIF and Photon Science Directorate requirements.
  • Document analytical and radiological results in systems such as Survey Information Management System, STAR, and/or other required databases; write or revise technical documentation, procedures, and work instructions to improve safety, quality, and operational effectiveness.
  • Work independently with minimal direction, exercising judgment and discretion with moderate to high programmatic or safety impact, and serve as a technical liaison with facility clients, internal ES&H partners, and technical organizations.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities at the 302.2 level
  • Lead analytical method development for relevant Programmatic needs.
  • Provide back-up management of the Hazardous Material Management Area as needed.
  • Provide leadership and supervision to staff as directed by the NIF Technician Supervisors including performance review, mentoring, and training.
  • Support NIF sealed radioactive source inventories and act as NIF Source Ordering and Accountability Records System (SOARS) lead.


Qualifications

  • Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance (U.S. citizenship required).
  • Bachelor's degree in a scientific or technical field, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
  • Experience operating, calibrating, maintaining, and troubleshooting radiological, chemical, and analytical instrumentation.
  • Experience analyzing complex technical data and maintaining QA/QC and calibration records.
  • Working knowledge of radiation fundamentals and experience handling radioactive materials and sources.
  • Familiarity with ES&H, QA/QC, and regulatory standards applicable to analytical and radiological operations.
  • Strong organizational, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to work independently with judgment and discretion in a high-hazard operational environment.
  • Ability to become medically qualified to wear respiratory and personal protective equipment.
  • Ability to obtain Radiological Controls Technician qualification.

Additional Qualifications at the 302.2 level
  • Highly advanced technical expertise in one or more scientific or analytical disciplines ( e.g ., radiation detection, radiation safety, radiochemistry, spectroscopy, etc.).
  • Ability to develop and apply analytical methods relevant to NIF laboratory needs or specialized techniques for unique or complex applications.
  • Experience providing supervision, technical leadership, mentoring, or training to other technical staff.
  • Experience leading or independently executing highly complex technical projects with significant safety or programmatic impact.

Qualifications We Desire
  • Experience supporting high-hazard or classified Department of Energy (DOE) research environments with work control processes, such as NIF.
  • Advanced experience with radiation detection systems, laboratory instrumentation, and calibration equipment.
  • Experience with SOARS, sealed source accountability, or hazardous/radioactive material inventories.
  • Experience as a DOE or NIF Radiological Controls Technician.


Additional Information

#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.

Pre-Placement Medical Exam

A job related pre-placement medical examination may be required.

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 .
group id: LLNL
N
Name Hidden
Find Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on Social Media
Network Employers
user avatar
About Us
Since its origins, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has pushed the limits of science, technology, and research in an effort to better understand the world and protect the people in it—but we do so much more than that. To this day, we continue to innovate, collaborate, and explore, backed by the minds of thousands of talented researchers, operations staff, and creative professionals. We are a globally-recognized leader in bioengineering, high-performance computing, environmental research, nuclear science, and more. And none of this research would be possible without our employees across different fields, from skilled labor to engineering. No matter what you do here, you can help change the world. The Lab is located in the heart of the Livermore Valley in the East Bay area of California, close to major metropolitan areas like San Francisco, Oakland, and San José.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Jobs


Clearance Level
DoE Q or L