Metallurgist​/Materials Engineer – Joining and Thermal Processing

Position: Metallurgist / Materials Engineer – Joining and Thermal Processing
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Metallurgist / Materials Engineer – Joining and Thermal Processing Entry Level | Full-time Engineering | Livermore, CA | 10/20/2026

Reference #: REF
9000SJob Code: SES.
1 Science & Engineering MTS 1 / SES.
2 Science & Engineering MTS 2

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 We have an opening for a Metallurgist/Materials Engineer to develop, qualify, and implement metallic joining and thermal processing methods for critical national security components. In this hands-on role, you will contribute to process development and metallurgical characterization while partnering with design, modeling, materials, and production organizations across LLNL and external production agencies. You will work within an interdisciplinary team to establish process-structure-property relationships in structural alloys, with opportunities to grow into a technical leader in joining and thermal processing.

This position is in the Materials Engineering Division (MED) within the Engineering Directorate.

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 Develop, execute, and optimize metallic joining and thermal processing methods in a laboratory environment, including electron-beam and laser welding, vacuum brazing, diffusion bonding, and heat treatment for steels, nickel-base alloys, radioactive alloys, and other structural alloys.

Provide metallurgical engineering support for processing, materials selection, and properties investigations.

Participate in the design, setup, and operation of processing and joining systems, including fixture design, parameter development, and troubleshooting.

Perform metallurgical characterization and joint evaluation using sample preparation, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), hardness testing, and mechanical testing, such as tensile and bend testing, to assess quality and performance.

Organize, analyze, and present data from experiments and process-development activities to improve understanding of processing-structure-property relationships.

Collaborate with scientists, engineers, technologists, designers, and production partners as part of integrated teams spanning design, analysis, prototyping, and production implementation.

Integrate experimental results with analytical or computational models, such as process models, thermal or stress analyses, and microstructure-evolution tools, to inform process-window development and production workflows.

Travel up to approximately 20% to external production facilities, such as Y-12, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Kansas City National Security Campus, to observe and support operations, review procedures, and provide feedback to LLNL program-management and design teams.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.
2 level Take technical ownership of specific joining and thermal-processing operations, including requirements definition, specification input, process qualification, and continuous improvement.

Provide technical guidance and informal mentoring to less-experienced staff, technicians, and students in joining and processing development, sample preparation, and metallurgical characterization.

Lead or co-lead defined technical tasks or small projects, coordinating across team members and tracking progress against scope, schedule, and quality requirements.

Qualifications Ability to obtain and…