user avatar

Classification Advisor - Active Security Clearance Required

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Posted today
DoE Q or L
$175,530 - $267,060
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.

Job Description

Embark on a mission vital to both national and global security as a Classification Advisor within the Office of Classification and Export Control (OCEC) at LLNL. Here, you'll be at the forefront of safeguarding critical information across a diverse spectrum of programs, including Strategic Deterrence (SD), Global Security, the National Ignition Facility (NIF), and various cutting-edge Science and Technology disciplines. As a Classification Advisor, you won't just fill a role - you'll be a subject matter expert (SME) shaping the landscape of our security protocols. Imagine being the go-to resource, collaborating with brilliant minds - scientists, engineers, innovators, and authors - to ensure the proper classification of information at every stage of its development. This position will be in the Strategic Deterrence Directorate.

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 a higher level.

In this role, you will
  • Mentor Derivative Classifiers (DCs), Reviewing Officials (ROs), and Laboratory staff in support of compliance with LLNL Classification and Export Control policies and procedures.
  • Analyze complex information and apply advanced knowledge related to current DOE and other government-approved classification guidance to determine classification in assigned document DC reviews, confirming OCEC reviews, and recommend changes to guidance when approved guides no longer address the full scope of classified program activities.
  • Maintain advanced competency and diplomacy in assisting clients in answering their classification questions and guiding them through the information review and release (IM) process.
  • Work cooperatively within the office and participate in the decision process for applying classification and export control guidance and regulations.
  • Develop and communicate information on complex classification issues and policies by means of briefings, correspondence, and bulletins given to the laboratory population.
  • Recognize when an additional export control review is needed.
  • Develop DOE and other government-wide classification guidance as part of a team of classification experts.
  • Review potential security incidents and advise if classified information was mishandled.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional Duties, at the SES.4 Level
  • Develop defensible determinations/solutions, develop new ideas or modify current approaches when challenges are not well defined, are highly complex, and require in-depth analysis of multiple factors.
  • Serve on external committees for DOE or NNSA and may be the primary classification advisor as well as a technical contact for a specified program.
  • Research, develop and prepare draft input to government or local classification guidance authority, for institutional and government-wide use, and/or develop and prepare draft classification bulletins to satisfy DOE updates, and locally driven needs to communicate classification guidance information to laboratory users.
  • Act as a classification office representative for specific subject areas. This task may include direct interaction with the government sponsor, NNSA, or HQ DOE.
  • Help define information security plans for specific programs or experiments which will clearly define what is unclassified and what information requires additional protection, based on approved classification guides or bulletins.


Qualifications

  • This position requires an active Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance or active Top-Secret clearance issued by another U.S. government agency at the time of hire.
  • Master's degree in technical fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, or related fields or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
  • Ability to analyze and solve complex problems as will be encountered in classification and export control tasks.
  • Thorough understanding of classification guidance and how it applies to program information.
  • Experience exercising sound judgment in considering conflicts between complex missions, goals, and administrative classification constraints.
  • Advanced verbal and written communication skills to achieve clarity and conciseness, demonstrating diplomacy when interacting with customers who have conflicting interests and opinions.
  • Ability to work effectively and efficiently as a technical expert both independently and as part of a team towards specific objectives, while performing duties and assignments on a tight schedule.
  • Experience performing tasks both with competency and with diplomacy, in working with the diverse technical population.

Additional Qualifications at the SES.4 Level
  • Significant relevant experience working in technical subject areas that can support major programs within the laboratory.
  • Significant experience working as a Derivative Classifier (DC) or as a federal Original Classifier (OC).
  • Significant experience working successfully on challenges that are not well defined, consistently requiring creativity and innovation, and the ability to establish objectives, which may include documenting classification determinations, consulting HQ DOE or other government agencies (OGA), and assisting the program or P.I. with direct sponsor interaction on classification guidance.
  • Recognized as a subject matter expert in an area of technical development, understand classification applied to the technical area, yet be supportive of goals, milestones, and deadlines for the Program.
  • Significant experience succeeding in assignments where the consequence of error may result in long-term inability to reach laboratory objectives and demonstrate the ability to serve as a primary technical/organizational contact, mentor other personnel, become an organization spokesperson, and advise senior management and/or external sponsors.

Qualifications We Desire
  • Ph.D. degree in a scientific or engineering field; or an equivalent level of demonstrated knowledge.
  • Derivative Classifier (DC) authority and/or Unclassified Controlled Nuclear Information Reviewing Official (RO) authority.
  • Experience in programmatic areas within or relevant to the laboratory. This includes nuclear weapons design and related weapons sciences, computer science, non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), remote sensing technologies, Department of Defense programs, Global Security and Department of Homeland Security programs, Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and Lasers.

Pay Range

$175,530 - $267,060 Annually

$175,530 - $222,564 Annually for the SES.3 Level

$210,630 - $267,060 Annually for the SES.4 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.

Additional Information

#LI-Hybrid

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 .
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