Target Experimental Systems Engineering and Operations Manager

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Target Experimental Systems Engineering and Operations Manager Director | Full-time Engineering | Livermore, CA | 10/08/2026

Reference #: REF
8924WJob Code: TSM.
1 Technical Manager 1

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
Company Description Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact advancing science and technology to strengthen U.S. security and promote global stability. Our mission spans four critical national security areas nuclear deterrence, threat preparedness, energy security, and multi-domain defense empowering teams to take on the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow. With a culture built on innovation and operational excellence, LLNL is a place where your expertise can make a real impact.

Job Description Do you want to lead a large multidisciplinary organization responsible for some of the world’s most complex, high performance laser systems while enabling groundbreaking national security science? The National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world’s largest and most energetic laser, is seeking a dynamic Target Experimental Systems (TEXS) Engineering and Operations Manager to lead the TEXS Engineering Section in support of safe, reliable operations, strong system performance, critical maintenance, and future capability enhancements.

This role offers a unique opportunity to apply your leadership, engineering judgment, and strategic vision at one of the world’s most advanced scientific facilities. You will oversee a large organization of engineers, technicians, and technical leaders responsible for the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, performance monitoring, configuration management, and operations of target systems, diagnostics, final optics, and associated experimental equipment supporting NIF. This includes both engineering sustainment and round-the-clock operational readiness in an unprecedented radiological environment as NIF continues to increase the yield and number of fusion ignition shots.

As the TEXS Section Manager, you will lead a multidisciplinary technical team responsible for the safe operations, optimized system performance, and reliable, high-availability execution, while driving upgrades and engineering improvements needed to meet future mission requirements and increasing shot rate demands. You will provide direct leadership in organizational development, workforce planning, technical direction, resource management, and strategic planning to sustain and enhance operational excellence across a broad portfolio of complex experimental systems.

Reporting to the NIF Director, you will establish section objectives and priorities in alignment with NIF mission requirements and direction from NIF senior leadership. Operating under broad organizational direction, you will exercise independent judgment in establishing section objectives, setting priorities, allocating resources, and resolving complex engineering and operational challenges. You will partner with experimenters, operating programs, engineering organizations, target fabrication, and other supporting organizations to ensure that experimental parameters, system configurations, schedules, and capabilities support current and future NIF mission requirements.

You will also coordinate with diagnostic engineering teams to maintain existing systems and implement new diagnostic capabilities in support of present and future…