Pulsed Power Engineer – Laser and Experimental Systems

Pulsed Power Engineer – Laser and Experimental Systems

Mid‑Senior Level | Full‑time
Engineering | Livermore, CA | 12/18/2025
Reference #: REF
7710D
Job Code: SES.
2 Science & Engineering MTS 2 / SES.
3 Science & Engineering MTS 3
Organization: Engineering
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 Apply Now

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.

$140,700 - $214,032 Annually

$140,700 - $178,392 Annually for the SES.
2 level

$168,780 - $214,032 Annually for the SES.
3 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; 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.

We have an opening for an experienced Pulsed Power Engineer to support the National Ignition Facility and Photon Science (NIF&PS) portfolio of programs—including NIF Operations, NIF Sustainment, NIF Enhanced Yield Capability (EYC), HED & Photon Sciences, and the Department of Defense Technology (DoDT). NIF’s laser is the world’s highest energy pulsed laser system, capable of producing over 1.8 MJ of optical energy.

Many of NIF’s subsystems have pulsed power technologies at their core. You will be participating in the engineering design and development of new pulsed power and power electronics hardware and for system upgrades to continually improve performance and reliability. You will also provide engineering knowledge to the operations and maintenance staff for NIF’s 400 MJ flashlamp power supplies, as well as its state‑of‑the‑art Plasma Electrode Pockels Cell (PEPC) systems.

These positions are in the Laser Systems Engineering and Operations (LSEO) Division, within the Engineering Directorate.

These positions 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.

• Work under limited direction with moderate responsibility, use comprehensive knowledge, and exercise independent judgment to determine methods and recommend improvements within established frameworks and contribute to the fulfillment of project and organizational goals. Participate in providing engineering support and solutions to new pulsed power and power electronics hardware for NIF laser systems.
• Contribute to the design and upgrade of high‑voltage solid‑state pulse generators for multi‑pulse systems (e.g., ARC‑PEPC).
• Contribute to the development and deployment of solid‑state pulsed power for high‑average‑power laser‑diode arrays.
• Support and troubleshoot NIF’s flashlamp power supplies and PEPC systems.
• Participate in the development and presentation of system reliability and performance metrics; provide recommendations and contribute to investments in system improvements.
• Provide solutions to problems of moderate complexity involving the electrical performance of system components under dynamic electrical loads and/or harsh electromagnetic interference conditions.
• Uphold and adhere to the highest standards of personnel and facility safety standards during all tests and experiments.
• Participate in…