Control Systems Engineer

We have multiple openings for Control Systems Engineers. You will provide engineering solutions for developing, implementing, and maintaining control systems in the National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world’s highest-energy pulsed laser system responsible for the recent LLNL fusion breakthrough. With over 60,000 control points distributed throughout the facility, many of NIF’s subsystems have control technologies at their core. You will contribute to the engineering design and development of new control systems and system upgrades to continually improve system performance and reliability. This position is in the Laser Systems Engineering and Operations (LSEO) Division, 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.

In this role, you will

• Work under limited direction with moderate responsibility, use comprehensive knowledge, and exercise independent judgment to determine methods and recommend improvements within established frameworks and contribute to the fulfillment of project and organizational goals.
• Provide hardware and software solutions to problems of moderate complexity involving, design, documentation, deployment, and maintenance of NIF&PS’s control systems. This may include utility systems, safety systems, machine protection systems, laser alignment and diagnostics systems, and optics processing systems.
• Collaborate with scientists, engineers, technicians, designers, and operations teams for the development of control systems.
• Provide technical input on control system requirements and designs through formal and informal design reviews, in collaboration with project leaders and team.
• Contribute to software and hardware design, implementation, and deployment following strict configuration management processes.
• Provide solutions and propose improvements to control system architectures, processes, and frameworks.
• Collaborate with system managers and/or software testers to develop and execute commissioning test procedures.
• Support the NIF&PS operations teams by troubleshooting facility issues, finding root causes of problems, and supporting planned work that impacts moderately complex control systems.
• Participate in the reactive maintenance on-call rotation, as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the SES.3 level

• 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.
• Provide control system solutions to complex problems by applying in-depth analysis and independent judgment to identify root causes and deliver reliable outcomes.
• Utilize advanced technical knowledge to support complex troubleshooting efforts by analyzing system behavior, diagnosing root causes, evaluating corrective actions, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to resolve issues efficiently while maintaining system reliability and performance.
• Conduct Failure Modes and Effects Analysis research and perform in-depth analysis to identify potential system vulnerabilities and advance the architecture of the control systems through informed design improvements.
• Mentor junior staff and provide oversight and guidance into production and commissioning activities on subsystems to ensure work is performed accurately, efficiently, and in alignment with project requirements, quality standards, and operational objectives.
• May lead project teams in the development and deployment of control solutions.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering discipline related to control systems, or a related technical field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge and broad experience in developing hardware or software solutions for control systems in industrial or research environments, with a focus on supporting project execution to meet stakeholder needs.
• Comprehensive knowledge and broad experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Hardware and/or software development for data acquisition and control systems.
  • Hardware design and selection of analog and digital instrumentation such as sensors, actuators, and controllers to meet system requirements.
  • Custom circuit design for unique control system applications.
  • Application, use, and programming of programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
  • Software development for basic signal conditioning or processing in data acquisition or calibration scenarios.
  • Software development of automation sequences and state machines.
  • Design, development and management of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Human Machine Interfaces (HMI).
  • Development and support of standalone test and research control systems applications in graphical programming language, i.e. LabView.
• Comprehensive understanding and broad experience in the application of documentation standards, including drawings, procedures, statements of work, and test plans.
• Broad experience using standard electronic measurement and diagnostic tools, such as oscilloscopes and TDRs, to support testing and troubleshooting activities.
• Broad experience supporting control systems throughout the full engineering lifecycle, including design, assembly, integration, testing, and maintenance.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills to effectively communicate technical information and enable close collaboration with project team members, control systems leadership, and other project stakeholders across the organization.
• Experience working as a member of a multidisciplinary project team, including collaboration with scientists, engineers, technicians, and designers.

Additional qualifications at the SES.3 level

• Advanced experience developing complex software or hardware solutions for control system automation in collaboration with stakeholders to meet project needs.
• Significant experience developing following configuration management processes to design and develop control system requirements, design documents, test plans, and prepare user documentation.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively prepare, present, and explain technical information, provide advice to senior management and external stakeholders, and collaborate with technical staff, managers, stakeholders, and vendors at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead independent work and collaborate in a multidisciplinary environment with scientists, engineers, technicians, and designers.
• Significant experience troubleshooting complex control systems problems in an operations environment and finding root causes of problems.
• Experience mentoring team members.

Qualifications We Desire

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• Experience in industrial production environments (e.g. food & beverage, automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals).
• Experience in the modernization of legacy control systems.
• Experience and understanding of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis.
• Understanding of Systems Engineering concepts.

Pay Range:

$146,340 - $222,564 Annually

$146,340 - $185,544 Annually for the SES.2 level

$175,530 - $222,564 Annually for the SES.3 level

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.

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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.

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