Mechanical Engineer-Precision Engineering & Diamond Turning

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World! 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 a Precision Mechanical Engineer to support projects in the National Ignition Facility and Photon Science Directorate (NIF & PS). You will provide solutions to a wide variety of research and development precision engineering projects and involved deliverables, through hardware design and developing advanced structural, thermal, and/or fluid analytical tools. You will be part of a multidisciplinary team responsible for ensuring the sustainment of NIF's mission‑critical capability of finishing crystal optics using precision diamond turning systems, alignment systems, or damage inspection systems.

This position is in the Laser Systems Engineering & Operations (LSEO) Division within the Engineering Directorate.

This position will be filled at either the SES.
2 or SES.
3 level depending on your qualifications. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if you are selected 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.
• Provide solutions to design and characterize precision machine tool subsystems, test prototypes, and perform diagnostics, including assessing tolerance stack‑ups, formulating error budgets, and applying measured error compensation systems.
• Modify and update existing analytical solutions to moderately complex to complex problems that require modeling, statistical analysis, and creative application of established techniques and methods.
• Perform literature reviews of relevant techniques and methods within diamond turning, precision machining, or optical sensor technology.
• Participate in providing solutions to the development and implementation of hands‑on engineering R&D test plans, analyzing experimental results, and authoring and presenting reports while working under limited direction.
• Generate moderately complex to complex detailed designs of subsystems in support of optics processing equipment, including precision cleaning, coating, transport and handling, and metrology systems.
• Contribute to the development and execution, and provide engineering support, for assembly, installation, commissioning, maintenance, and calibration procedures for subsystems.
• Participate in precision machine assembly laboratory activities including component assembly, spare inventory, and metrology tool calibrations.
• Contribute to the development of optomechanical measurement and alignment systems with scientific camera technology.
• Collaborate with project teams consisting of engineers, designers, technicians, scientists, and coordinators, while working independently within established frameworks.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Function independently with minimal direction, taking significant responsibility…