Hydrodynamic Design and Test Groups Group Leader - Active Clearance Required

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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 dedicated to fostering a culture that values individuals, talents, partnerships, ideas, experiences, and different perspectives, recognizing their importance to the continued success of the Laboratory's mission.

We have an opening for a Group Leader within the Hydrodynamic Design and Test Groups. The role combines administrative line supervisor responsibilities within the Defense Technologies Engineering Division (DTED) with programmatic group lead responsibilities for the Weapon Physics and Design (WPD) program, as the Program Group Leader for Device Engineering. You will lead a multi-disciplinary group to design, fabricate, assemble, and deliver experimental devices for test execution, generate cost and schedule estimates, identify capability gaps, and provide high level guidance for resolving resource conflicts. In addition, you will supervise, mentor, and develop a broad range of technical staff. This position is administratively in DTED, within the Engineering Directorate, and programmatically under the Hydrodynamic and Subcritical Experiments Program Element within WPD.

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

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.

You will

• Supervise and provide administrative direction, guidance, support, mentoring, coaching, and promote teamwork for group personnel. This includes assessing employee total contribution and conducting employee performance reviews as well as recruiting, hiring, and onboarding new staff as needed.
• Provide technical, safety, and security leadership to group personnel and activities and collaborate with project principals and group personnel in defining employee work assignments.
• Exercise advanced level skills in the application and development of engineering best practices, and/or business principles, and theories, concepts, and techniques for the development of hardware subject to extreme environments with significant safety implications.
• Serve as a liaison between manufacturing support, high explosive assembly, and Strategic Deterrence (SD) programs by guiding priority discussions, deconflictions, and managing complex schedules. Represent customer interests at program interface meetings.
• Lead efforts to improve fabrication throughput to increase efficiency and reduce the time from experiment initiation to execution.
• Serve as the work control authorizing individual for key assembly facilities.
• Lead and participate in engineering design reviews by acting as a chairperson, panel member, or reviewer while upholding Engineering Policy and Procedures.
• Serve as a member of the Hydro council to evaluate the feasibility of manufacturing and assembly of complex experimental devices.
• Monitor performance required to meet programmatic milestones and deliverables and lead corrective actions where necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SEL.5 level

• Set high level goals and direction for accomplishing program goals.
• Pilot change by developing new innovative projects or programs, modifying approaches, and/or redefining customer requirements to impact operations or directions.
• Develop strategic technical advice for management and external customers on project execution, efficiency and opportunities for program development.
• Serve on external scientific or technical committees.
• Mentor staff across the organization, including other mentors.

• 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.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Civil, Aerospace, Materials, Systems, or Electrical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent level of education and related experience.
• Significant knowledge or experience with several of the following areas: strategic weapon systems, hardware engineering, fabrication, testing, high explosives, and fielding experiments.
• Significant experience in mechanical engineering project leadership, including work planning, scheduling, cost estimating, risk analysis, and reporting.
• Significant experience working with and mentoring multi-disciplinary career staff.
• Expert verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment and present and explain technical information and provide advice to management.
• Effective leadership, interpersonal, and supervisory skills to lead and assess personnel performance in a team environment.
• Expert level facilitation and collaboration skills necessary to promote and maintain productive relationships across programs and directorates.
• Significant knowledge of, or experience with, design applications employing high explosive materials and the associated DOE safety requirements.

Additional qualifications at the SEL.5 level

• Expert knowledge of, and significant experience in engineering design principles and tools for program execution.
• Significant experience in the leadership of personnel for technical projects, including establishing staffing pipelines and technical mentorship across a broad range of activities.
• Expert level experience presenting, influencing, and advising senior management and external sponsors.
• Expert knowledge of, or experience with, design applications employing high explosive materials and the associated DOE safety requirements.

Qualifications We Desire

• Master's degree in Engineering or related fields.
• Broad knowledge of Laboratory policies and practices.
• Ability to obtain and maintain qualification in the Laboratory Human Reliability Program (HRP).

Pay Range

$227,430 - $346,140 Annually

$227,430 - $288,396 Annually for the SEL.4 level

$272,970 - $346,140 Annually for the SEL.5 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.

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Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2026Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• FlexibleBenefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Our values - visithttps://www.llnl.gov/inclusion/our-values

Security Clearance

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 time of hire.

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 useand/or possession ofmobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area whereyou are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile devicein your possession. This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.

Ifyou useamedical device, whichpairs with a mobile device,you must still follow the rules concerningthe mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities requireseparate 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.

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