Radiation Effects Engineer

Radiation Effects Engineer – Target Diagnostic Engineering & Science (TDES) Group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Work in the Laser Systems Engineering & Operations (LSEO) Division to support the development and evaluation of target diagnostic hardware and general NIF facility hardware through advanced radiation effects analyses and testing. Assess radiation-related risks to existing NIF facility and diagnostic hardware, determine whether radiation played a role in system faults or performance changes, and lead radiation mitigation activities at the facility.

The role includes independent technical leadership, project management, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

• Work under limited direction with moderate responsibility, using comprehensive knowledge and independent judgment to determine methods, recommend improvements, and contribute to project and organizational goals.
• Perform independent research into radiation effects in electronics and radiation survivability for fusion facilities.
• Select methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria to design and conduct radiation effects tests on electronic components (total dose, prompt dose rate, single event upsets, displacement damage, etc.).
• Serve as point of contact for radiation effects in electronics, providing guidance to NIF team leads, system owners, and project engineers.
• Lead radiation effects test campaigns, including the development of moderately to highly complex electrical and electronics designs, data acquisition, data analysis, and reporting to internal working groups.
• Use test results to assess potential risks to existing NIF hardware and support electrical design teams by identifying radiation risks and mitigations.
• Document test and analysis results to inform future hardware developments and maintain a repository of radiation effects test results and analyses pertaining to NIF equipment.
• Contribute to process improvements to minimize the impact of damaging radiation effects on NIF operations and manage activities that protect NIF hardware from radiation environments.
• Support the implementation and management of the execution of radiation effect mitigation strategy.
• Collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams and represent the organization by providing input on technical issues for specific projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Work independently with minimal direction, utilizing advanced knowledge across multiple fields within radiation effects.
• Provide advanced technical knowledge in radiation survivability, including radiation hardening of electronics and radiation shielding.
• Evaluate and select complex, often ill-defined instrumentation for NIF systems.
• Set specific technical strategy and direction for self and others, frequently serving as a technical contact on multidisciplinary teams.
• Lead corrective actions where necessary and devise solutions for unique and complex problems in less well-defined situations.
• Reprioritize and change programmatic direction as emergent requests arise, in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
• Contribute to the development of innovative principles and methods in radiation effects engineering.
• Mentor junior team members and assist in recruiting efforts.
• Serve on internal technical/advisory committees and may serve on external committees.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance (U.S. citizenship required).
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Engineering Physics, Applied Physics, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Comprehensive experience and ability to perform independent work in radiation effects engineering or similar fields.
• Comprehensive knowledge of electrical, optical, x‑ray, or nuclear recording techniques and radiation effects in electronics.
• Comprehensive knowledge of total ionizing dose, displacement damage dose, or single event effects.
• Experience developing and conducting radiation effects tests and using test results to assess hardware…