Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is hiring a Senior Optical Component Materials Scientist to provide technical and business leadership for a critical program at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). This role involves final process development, vendor qualification, and pilot production for an optically addressable light valve (OALV) device, as well as R&D on new optics technologies.
What You'll Do
- Provide technical and business leadership of the supplier base to manufacture NIF optical components, specifically the OALV.
- Define requirements, develop new processes & tooling, direct process optimization, and lead the transition from development into production.
- Own and manage scope, budget, schedule and data management of the fabrication and build of the OALVs.
- Prioritize tasks and resources across multiple vendors and internal stakeholders.
- Lead cross‑functional integration with the programmable spatial shaper (PSS) R&D team to transition prototype devices to robust pilot and production‑level manufacturing.
- Collaborate at a senior level with PSS physics and integration teams to define device requirements, acceptable yield targets, and installation plans.
- Resolve high‑impact technical and integration issues.
- Lead root‑cause analysis and yield‑improvement initiatives, applying advanced materials knowledge of device components.
- Define and drive corrective action plans across vendors and internal teams.
- Analyze moderately complex to highly complex data from optics production operations to improve the process and process yields.
- Direct technicians to design, build or modify specialized process equipment.
- Review and approve critical design and operational decisions.
- Prepare written analyses and verbal briefings that capture and communicate research results.
- Prepare periodic progress reports and presentations for program management and external reviews.
- Analyze vendor production control methods for weaknesses and make recommendations to realize high quality components and/or lower unit cost.
- Work with optical coordination staff to track vendor performance, additional onsite metrology, optic location, and archive metrology data.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers, scientists, and technicians.
- Conduct and lead advanced research and development of other optic technologies within OMST.
- Publish research results in peer-reviewed scientific or technical journals and present results at external conferences, seminars and/or technical meetings.
What We're Looking For
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
- PhD in Chemical Engineering, or a related field or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
- Extensive experience applying chemical engineering principles to achieve process development and process improvement goals with external visibility.
- Comprehensive experience performing production of complex optical components (e.g. OALVs).
- Demonstrated ability to serve as a technical authority for specification, fabrication, measurement, and testing (e.g., interferometry, photometry, laser damage testing, surface quality).
- Demonstrated ability to apply broad knowledge of transport phenomena and chemical kinetics to diagnose and resolve complex performance or yield issues in production environments.
- Experience in pilot‑plant‑scale operations and process development, including design of experiments, scale‑up strategy, and risk mitigation for transitioning to full production.
- Expert verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate across disciplines, lead technical discussions and design reviews, present and explain complex technical information to management and sponsors, and provide authoritative technical advice.
- Extensive experience necessary to work in a collaborative research environment and influence and align a diverse set of scientists, contractors, engineers, technicians, and other technical and administrative staff toward common objectives.
Team & Environment
Position is in the Optical Materials Group in the Materials for Emerging Applications and Extreme Conditions section of the Materials Science Division in the Physical & Life Sciences (PLS) Directorate matrixed to OMST within the NIF & Photon Science Directorate.
Benefits & Compensation
- Compensation: $227,430 - $288,396 Annually
- Flexible Benefits Package
- 401(k)
- Relocation Assistance
- Education Reimbursement Program
- Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
Work Mode
This role operates on a hybrid work schedule.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is 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.
