Production Engineer

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Job Description

We have multiple openings for Production Engineers to support projects within the National Ignition Facility & Photon Sciences (NIF&PS) / Light Matter and Fusion (LMF) directorate, home to the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world’s most energetic laser. In this role, you will work with engineering groups supporting directorate projects, as well as other LLNL organizations to define product requirements, plan projects, determine acquisition strategies, and execute fabrication and procurement decisions for specialized hardware, equipment, tooling, and services.

You will serve as a primary interface among program engineering, procurement, supply chain management, manufacturing support organizations, and suppliers. Your responsibilities will include supporting the definition, contracting, fabrication, delivery, installation, cleanliness, and storage of programmatic products. This position requires sound engineering judgment, strong knowledge of manufacturing and fabrication methods, experience preparing technical procurement packages, and the ability to manage multiple complex assignments in support of schedule-driven production activities. This position is in the in the Laser Systems Engineering & Operations (LSEO) Division, within the Engineering Directorate and supports the National Ignition Facility & Photon Sciences (NIF&PS) / Light Matter and Fusion (LMF) directorate.

This position requires full-time on-site presence due to the nature of the work.

In this role, you will

• Function independently with minimal direction, taking significant responsibility and using advanced knowledge and judgment to establish objectives, prioritize parallel tasks, allocate resources, and collaborate in the development of innovative methods/technology to guide the completion of projects and contribute to the development of organizational goals.
• Sets technical strategies in the development of hardware, equipment, materials, and services supporting production activities for NIF and related programs.
• Support producibility and manufacturability by providing engineering sourcing solutions to complex problems and working between program engineering teams, procurement, supply chain management, and suppliers to define, contract, fabricate, deliver, install, and support specialized programmatic products.
• Maintain and track schedules, milestones, budgets, and action items in the procurement and delivery of complex hardware and services that may not initially be well defined.
• Review drawings and technical documentation for technical content, manufacturability, and procurement readiness; provide recommendations to engineers and scientists on fabrication approaches, sourcing options, and design-for-manufacturability considerations.
• Produce technical procurement packages including Statements of Work, specifications, schedules, cost estimates, technical justifications, and other solicitation documents required for the prototyping, fabrication, installation, and sustainment of specialized mechanical, optical, electrical, and support systems.
• Analyze supplier proposals and technical data and participate in vendor selection and acquisition strategy development.
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of assigned procurements by working with LLNL Procurement and other organizations to address complex technical and business issues and by monitoring supplier progress through delivery and issue resolution.
• Provide solutions and perform in-depth analysis to address complex issues associated with each acquisition in safety, export control, intellectual property, legal and regulatory requirements, configuration management, quality, logistics, and knowledge transfer.
• Serve as the technical point of contact with suppliers and associated procurement representatives for assigned hardware, equipment, and service procurements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. Citizenship.

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, systems engineering, industrial engineering, or a related engineering field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.

• Advanced experience working in an environment focused in engineering, production engineering, manufacturing, technical procurement, supply chain engineering, or closely related work.

• Advanced experience preparing technical procurement documents including Statements of Work, specifications, schedules, cost estimates, technical justifications, and related engineering documentation.

• Advanced experience reviewing engineering drawings and technical documentation for manufacturability, fabrication strategy, and procurement readiness.

• Advanced knowledge in one or more of the following areas: manufacturing, fabrication, producibility, engineering sourcing, technical procurement, supplier management, production support, or acquisition of custom and precision hardware.

• Advanced experience analyzing supplier proposals and technical data and supporting vendor selection for technically complex hardware or services.

• Advanced verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment, present and explain complex technical information, and provide recommendations to management while working across multiple disciplines.

• Ability to travel to onsite and offsite supplier facilities, as required.

• Qualifications We Desire

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, systems engineering, industrial engineering, or a related engineering field.

• Experience working with DOE, NNSA, DOD, or other taxpayer-funded acquisition environments.

• Experience supporting technical supplier management and oversight of complex subcontracts.

• Experience with inventory planning, min-max systems, MRP systems, or engineering-to-manufacturing transitions.

• Experience supporting laboratory equipment procurement, installation coordination, maintenance, or sustainment activities.

• Experience working in a schedule-critical production environment with multiple internal and external stakeholders.

• Pay Range

• $175,530 - $222,564 Annually

• 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.

• Additional Information

• LI-Onsite

• Position Information

• This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

• Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2026 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!

• Flexible

Benefits

• Package

• 401(k)

• Relocation Assistance

• Education Reimbursement Program

• Flexible schedules (depending on project needs)

• Our values - visit https://www.llnl.gov/inclusion/our-values

• Security Clearance

• This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance. If you are selected, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing. Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship.

• Pre-Employment Drug Test

• External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

• Wireless and Medical Devices

• Per the Department of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory must meet certain restrictions with the use