Senior Scientist - Physicist

MSTS seeks a Senior Scientist / Physicist for the High Energy Density Experiments (HEDE) Team at our Livermore Operations site to lead the design, development, and operational fielding of advanced diagnostics across IR, VIS, UV, X-ray, and neutron regimes. In this role, you will take diagnostic instruments from conceptual physics requirements through benchtop calibration, characterization, and deployment in support of subcritical dynamic experiments and stockpile stewardship campaigns. Work is carried out in close technical collaboration with principal investigators at major user facilities, primarily the Nevada National Security Site, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at LLNL, and the Omega Laser Facility.

Key Responsibilities

Devises imaginative, thorough, and practical solutions requiring evaluation of standards and processes. Solutions may be unique.

Design, model, and specify diagnostics spanning IR, VIS, UV, X-ray, and neutron regime.

Utilizing tools like Chicago, COMSOL, MATLAB, Python, or machine learning frameworks.

Apply principles of atomic and nuclear physics, spectroscopy, metrology, and crystallography to the development and calibration of specialized detectors

Serve as subject matter expert on diagnostic physics, analytical methods, and instrumentation for collaborators and leadership.

Incorporate mechanical and electrical design best practices into instrument integration, bench testing, and hardware assembly.

Draft and maintain standard operating procedures, automated control routines (e.g., LabVIEW), and safety documentation for lab and field setups.

Field, align, and operate diagnostics during shot cycles at LO and partner facilities (NNSS, NIF, LANL, SNL)

Troubleshoot electromechanical, optical, and physics-related issues during testing and shot execution.

Process, calibrate, and analyze raw shot data, including uncertainty quantification and physical interpretation

Write technical reports, test plans, journal manuscripts, and SDRD proposals.

Coordinate schedules, deliverables, and field interfaces with shot directors and facility operations.

Maintain safe, disciplined, and communicative laboratory and field work practices.

Develops processes, procedures, work instructions.

Foster a work environment that supports open communication and trust.

Bachelor’s in calculus-based technical (STEM) field plus at least 5 years relevant experience. Skill building experience must demonstrate either deeper technical specialization or additional cross-disciplinary knowledge. Graduate research experience may be recognized.

Master’s degree in an applicable STEM discipline plus a minimum of 3 years of progressive, relevant experience; OR Ph.D. in an applicable STEM discipline with demonstrated doctoral or postdoctoral research directly aligned with dynamic experimentation, laser-plasma physics, high-energy-density science, or optical/nuclear diagnostics.

Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Optics, or Nuclear Engineering highly preferred.

Knowledge of Chicago, COMSOL, MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, or AI related software is beneficial.

Knowledge of spectroscopy, crystallography, metrology, atomic and nuclear physics is beneficial.

High Voltage pulsed power experience is desirable.

Knowledge of mechanical and electrical design is beneficial.

Ability to build teaming relationships with technical and other company organizations.

Executes work in a disciplined manner to demonstrate compliance with laws, codes, orders, and MSTS policies and procedures

Ability to interpret codes and standards applicable to the position.

Experience with setting up and operating research and development (R&D) instrumentation in a laboratory setting.

Other required skills include exposure in programming platforms, good technical writing and communication skills, and familiarity with PCs and PC application software, such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Desire to learn and innovate.

Ability to work in hazardous environments that include high voltage systems, visible and ultraviolet lasers, large scale pulsed power machines, and vacuum and pressurized systems.

Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, work independently, and work as part of a team.

Ability to execute work in a disciplined manner to demonstrate compliance with laws, codes, orders, and MSTS policies and procedures.

Direct operational experience designing, fielding, or analyzing data from diagnostic instruments fielded at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), Omega Laser Facility, Z Machine, or underground testing environments.

Advanced domain expertise in X-ray imaging, neutron imaging, high-speed streak/framing cameras. or time-resolved optical spectroscopy.

Experience writing successful technical proposals and serving as a Principal Investigator (PI).

Must be willing to travel occasionally to the North Las Vegas Facility, the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Mercury, Nevada, and Los Alamos, New Mexico, in support of these functions.

Must be able to obtain physical, on-site access at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Pre-placement physical examination, which includes a drug screen, is required. MSTS maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.

Must possess a valid driver’s license.

MSTS is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants offered employment with MSTS are also subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. In addition, Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship, at least 18 years of age. Reference DOE Order 472.2, “Personnel Security”. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Department of Energy Q Clearance (position will be cleared to this level). Reviews and tests for the absence of any illegal drug as defined in 10 CFR Part 707.4, “Workplace Substance Abuse Programs at DOE Sites,” will be conducted. Applicant selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation, required to participate in subsequent reinvestigations, and must meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. Successful completion of a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination, may also be required. Reference 10 CFR Part 709, “Counterintelligence Evaluation Program.”

MSTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. MSTS is a background screening, drug-free workplace.

Annual salary range for this position is: $101,524.80 - $152,297.60.

Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate education and experience and internal equity.

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The NNSS is an enterprise of special-purpose, multi-mission, high-hazard experimentation facilities delivering technical and service solutions in partnership with the National Laboratories. Our collaborative work supports the government’s most important national security missions. (See NNSS.gov for our unique capabilities.) Our 3,000+ professional, craft, and support employees are called upon to innovate, collaborate, and deliver on some of the more difficult nuclear security challenges facing the world today.

• MSTS offers our full-time employees highly competitive salaries and benefits packages including medical, dental, and vision; both a pension and a 401k; paid time off and 96 hours of paid holidays; relocation (if located more than 75 miles from work location); tuition assistance and reimbursement; and more.

• MSTS is a limited liability company consisting of Honeywell Aerospace, Amentum, and HII Nuclear Inc.