L

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

National security research laboratory

Nuclear Facility Electrical Project Engineer

Full-Time
$146.3k - $222.6k/yr
Mid, Senior
Bachelor's, Master's
Livermore, CA, USA
HybridHybrid schedule may allow working from home one or more days per week, depending on assignment.
Electrical Engineering
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required

About the job

Requirements
  • Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. Department of Energy Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship.
  • Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a relevant technical field, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
  • Comprehensive experience and knowledge in designing facility-related electrical systems and components, including power distribution, emergency power systems, automatic transfer switches, lighting and lighting controls, motor and equipment controls, and special electrical and low-voltage systems.
  • Experience developing electrical project scope, evaluating design options, determining design criteria, and preparing and reviewing design and construction specifications, calculations, and drawings that support efficient and successful job completion in industrial facility environments.
  • Knowledge of and demonstrated proficiency and experience with applicable codes and industry standards, such as ASME, California Building Code, Uniform Building Code, IEEE, and NFPA 70.
  • Verbal and written communication skills to interact and collaborate with a team and prepare, present, and explain technical or operational information to management, reviewers, and stakeholders.
  • Ability to effectively plan and complete assigned project activities within established scope, budget, and schedule constraints while managing multiple conflicting tasks with well-defined priorities.
  • At the SES.3 level, advanced knowledge and significant experience in facility electrical engineering and applying industry codes and regulatory requirements.
  • At the SES.3 level, significant experience and demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a team in achieving project objectives, including solving complex problems, defining and verifying requirements and resources, and applying project management expertise.
  • At the SES.3 level, significant experience and demonstrated advanced skills in project management, budgeting, scheduling, and project tracking.
  • At the SES.3 level, advanced knowledge and significant experience with project delivery tools, methods, and contract forms, such as design-build and design-bid-build.
  • At the SES.3 level, advanced verbal and written communication, facilitation, collaboration, and interpersonal skills to present and explain complex technical information, provide technical advice, and collaborate with management, project stakeholders, reviewers, regulators, and external partners.
  • At the SES.3 level, experience translating complex requirements into hardware and software specifications, reading and interpreting mechanical, electrical, and electro-optical specifications, and using drawings, datasheets, and procedure manuals.
Responsibilities
  • Prepare and implement electrical designs for moderately complex facility construction, upgrade, and modification projects using established design criteria, calculations, drawings, schematics, sketches, construction documents, procedures, and specifications.
  • Use technical engineering skills and moderately complex electrical system experience to support development of project scope, design options, cost estimates, schedules, work packages, and constructability evaluations for assigned projects.
  • Support research and development projects by applying broad knowledge, skills, and innovation to create electrical solutions that are safe and compliant with Department of Energy orders and specifications.
  • Support development of electrical system requirements for new or modified specialized equipment and support systems in hazard category 2 nuclear facilities, using established Department of Energy requirements, procedures, and engineering methods.
  • Prepare and communicate technical requirements, specifications, calculations, and supporting engineering documentation.
  • Coordinate assigned design activities with drafters, designers, contractors, and project team members, and provide technical input consistent with established project criteria.
  • Participate in design reviews to obtain approvals of project scope and designs.
  • Provide technical input on moderately complex design requirements and identify and evaluate potential system impacts for projects affecting facility systems while complying with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory procedures, work control system processes, and Department of Energy requirements.
  • Track assigned work, provide regular status updates, identify risks or obstacles, and elevate issues requiring technical or management decisions.
  • Provide engineering support during construction performed by outside contractors, including reviewing submittals and shop drawings, responding to contractor questions, evaluating change order requests, and resolving field problems.
  • Support preparation of detailed project plans, schedules, budgets, estimates, and work packages for assigned activities.
  • At the SES.3 level, serve as project lead for complex internal multidisciplinary electrical engineering projects; lead development of electrical technical criteria, budgets, schedules, and deliverables; and coordinate multidisciplinary contributors.
  • At the SES.3 level, develop, implement, and provide advanced engineering solutions and technical analysis to resolve complex technical issues.
  • At the SES.3 level, apply project planning and project management knowledge and skills to significant research and development projects while creating electrical solutions that are safe and compliant with Department of Energy orders and specifications.
  • At the SES.3 level, collaborate with senior stakeholders, management, and Department of Energy personnel in management and execution of the facility project portfolio, serving as the primary technical resource and providing strategic technical advice.
  • At the SES.3 level, participate in planning, developing, implementing, and refining broad project vision and strategy, and influence technical direction for projects and the team to drive successful deliverables.
  • At the SES.3 level, develop new ideas, modify approaches, and redefine customer requirements that impact organizational operations or directions.
  • At the SES.3 level, provide advanced capability in the design and analysis of highly complex electrical systems.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
  • Master’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
  • Professional Engineer registration in electrical engineering in California, or reciprocity from another state within twelve months.
  • Significant experience performing electrical systems design work in an architectural engineering consulting environment.
  • Significant experience with control systems and/or control room design.
  • Extensive knowledge of the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70E, and other applicable electrical codes and standards, including IEEE and Underwriters Laboratories standards.
  • Experience with medium- and low-voltage power distribution systems, backup and emergency power systems, and facility electrical infrastructure.
  • Ability to perform load calculations, short circuit analysis, and arc-flash evaluations.
  • Proficiency in computer-aided design software such as AutoCAD or Creo, SolidWorks, or other relevant software.
  • Proficiency in power system analysis, fault calculations, coordination, and grounding using SKM Systems Analysis Inc. software tools.

About the company

L

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

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Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) conducts scientific and engineering research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to tackle national-security, energy, and environmental challenges. Its work turns into concrete technologies and tools—advanced materials, computer simulations, software, vaccines, and other solutions—through multidisciplinary teams collaborating on government contracts and grants. Unlike private vendors, LLNL operates as a national laboratory with unique facilities and long-term, mission-driven funding, focusing on large-scale programs and public-interest outcomes. Its goal is to protect people, advance energy and environmental sustainability, and push scientific knowledge forward for national security and public good.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

Grant

Total Funding

$7.8M

Headquarters

Livermore, California

Founded

1952

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Lynx strengthens national-security compute for simulations and advanced modeling since June 2026.
  • SC27 chair Kathryn Mohror boosts LLNL's HPC visibility on August 27, 2026.
  • Recent partnerships won DOE funds and tech-transfer awards, proving commercialization momentum.

What critics are saying

  • Cleanup staffing cuts at Site 300 threaten operations and jobs by 2027.
  • DOE enforcement records cite unauthorized high-radiation access, exposing safety discipline weaknesses.
  • If federal budgets tighten, LLNL's cleanup mission and research footprint contract together.

What makes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) unique

  • LLNL anchors NNSA stockpile simulation; Lynx launched June 16, 2026.
  • LLNL led 10 Genesis Mission projects on July 22, 2026.
  • LLNL pairs frontier science with commercialization, including Ampera, Oxylus, and Firefly.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

  • Hybrid Work Options
  • Phone/Internet Stipend
  • Wellness Program
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Health Insurance
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Holidays
  • Remote Work Options
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Life Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

8%

1 year growth

10%

2 year growth

10%
PR Newswire
Oct 15th, 2026
QuEra scientists named co-principal investigators on three of nine teams in Department of Energy's quantum chemistry program, now underway.

QuEra scientists named co-principal investigators on three of nine teams in Department of Energy's quantum chemistry program, now underway. Oct 15, 2026, 09:00 ET Teams led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Phasecraft partner with QuEra for work on superconductors, high-performance magnets, and hydrogen production applications. BOSTON, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - QuEra Computing, the leader in quantum computing, today announced that its scientists will work with three of the nine teams selected for the Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry (QC3) program at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E) to develop neutral-atom based modeling frameworks for complex materials and molecules. The three-year program, announced by the Department of Energy in March 2026, directs $37 million across the program performers. QC3 exists to close the gap between vendor roadmaps that are rapidly transitioning to expanded logical capabilities by the end of the decade but don't yet clearly map to the resources required for published algorithms for energy-relevant chemistry applications. ARPA-E's premise is that the gap closes through full-stack co-design, where improvements of two to three times at each layer of the stack compound into an order of magnitude overall. The program asks its teams to identify an application worth a quadrillion BTU of energy or a gigaton of CO[2]-equivalent, and to pursue a scalable hundredfold improvement over classical state of the art, validated at approximately 100 logical qubits. QuEra's updated roadmap targets 1,000 logical qubits by 2029, providing ample hardware capability for this program. The Three Projects QuEra scientists serve as co-principal investigators on each of the following teams, contributing neutral-atom access, expertise, algorithm and architecture co-design. * SuperKIQ, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Superconductor search through Krylov-inspired quantum algorithms, aimed at deepening understanding of high-temperature superconductors and accelerating the discovery of new superconducting materials by co-designing algorithms and error-correction protocols for hardware with reconfigurable connectivity. The team also includes NASA Ames, the University of Southern California, Michigan State University, Citrine Informatics, and Azulene Labs. * MAGNETIQC, led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Quantum and machine-learning-accelerated software tools applied to the discovery of ultra-strong, lightweight magnets for electric motors, generators, and high-performance information technology. The team also includes members from Columbia University, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center Application Technology Group, and Citrine Informatics. * Quantum Computing for Hydrogen Fuel Production, led by Phasecraft. Optimized quantum algorithms for simulating electrolysis, with the primary objective of reducing reliance on iridium, a critical mineral, in hydrogen production. The team also includes Phasecraft Ltd, Johnson Matthey, and Harvard University. Why Neutral Atoms Support ARPA-E's Mission The QC3 solicitation required every applicant to submit a letter of intent from a quantum hardware provider as part of its application, which made the hardware choice a gating requirement rather than a later implementation detail. Five of the nine selected primes are hardware companies running their own machines. QuEra is the external hardware provider partner for three out of the remaining four projects. QuEra's neutral atom technology and application co-design approach was an attractive choice for partners thanks to the architectural benefits it provides for full-stack application development and optimization across both error correction and application layers. Neutral atoms are identical by nature, controlled wirelessly by lasers, and are reconfigurable, which enables a high degree of connectivity: a core lever in algorithm development and error correction implementation. "QuEra's architecture and software stack give researchers exceptional flexibility to co-design quantum error correction and fault-tolerant applications with the hardware itself," said Shengtao Wang, VP of Algorithms and Applications at QuEra. "That flexibility is especially valuable in a long-term program like ARPA-E's QC3, which aims to deliver a step change in computational chemistry and materials science." Co-Design as the Method ARPA-E's co-design thesis is one that QuEra is closely aligned with. With Los Alamos National Laboratory, QuEra published a transversal STAR architecture in PRX Quantum in June 2026 that delivers up to 250 times faster execution and roughly half the physical qubits of conventional fault-tolerant approaches for structured quantum simulation, achieved specifically by co-designing error correction around neutral-atom reconfigurable connectivity. Separately, algorithmic fault tolerance published in Nature in 2025 reduced runtime overhead by 10 to 100 times for reconfigurable architectures. "We have a growing body of evidence that the earliest examples of quantum advantage will be the result of co-design across the entire application stack, from the algorithm design to the QEC architecture, to the hardware itself," said Stefan Ostermann, Director of Quantum Applications at QuEra. "The Department of Energy's approach through QC3 is one we deeply agree with, and we are excited to partner closely with them over the course of this program." About the QC3 Program Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry is an ARPA-E program directing $37 million across nine teams over three years to develop quantum algorithms and hardware co-design approaches for chemistry and materials science problems relevant to energy. The program director is Dr. Jyotsna Sharma. * Read the ARPA-E program details: QC3 program page and project descriptions * Read the co-design result, the transversal STAR architecture published with Los Alamos National Laboratory: https://journals.aps.org/prxquantum/abstract/10.1103/j2fw-ccmy, https://arxiv.org/html/2606.25011v1 * Explore QuEra's work with national programs: www.quera.com/national-programs * Explore the roadmap, covering Libra and QuEra's next-generation gigaquop-class system: quera.com/our-quantum-roadmap SOURCE QuEra Computing

PR Newswire
Oct 6th, 2026
AMPERA submits comprehensive engagement plan to US nuclear regulatory authority.

AMPERA submits comprehensive engagement plan to US nuclear regulatory authority. 05 Oct, 2026, 23:18 GMT Share article. PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida, October 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - AMPERA, a company specializing in advanced nuclear technology, has submitted a comprehensive plan for cooperation with regulators to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as part of the pre-application phase of the licensing process. The company expects to submit its application for a license for the combined production and fuel fabrication facility by October 2027. During this phase of the licensing process, AMPERA provides detailed information on key development topics such as innovative design features, methods, and analyses to accelerate the regulatory review process and minimize risks. AMPERA's licensing and commercialization plan is aligned with the recently established Office of Advanced Reactors (OAR) at the NRC. The OAR is responsible for implementing an integrated regulatory approach that enables the safe deployment of advanced reactor technologies. The current scope of the AMPERA plan is comprehensive and includes licensing of reactors under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Parts 40, 53, 70, and 71, to support activities related to nuclear material, fuel fabrication, reactor core manufacturing, and deployment of modules at multiple sites. Given recent and expected changes in the regulatory framework for advanced microreactor technology, AMPERA's plan offers the flexibility needed to pave the most effective and efficient path to licensing for commercialization and global deployment. "As part of this process, we will share technical details with regulators, protect our intellectual property, and strengthen confidence in advanced nuclear technology," said Brian Matthews, founder and CEO of AMPERA. "We look forward to discussing our plans for AMPERA's commercial, subcritical, thorium-powered modular system with the NRC." Unlike conventional light water reactors, AMPERA's thorium-based fuel and subcritical operating systems use an external neutron generator to initiate and maintain operation. This creates an additional layer of operational control while enabling innovative approaches to the fuel cycle. On August 26, AMPERA and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced a strategic partnership to develop advanced nuclear fuels. "We are making great progress, continuing to expand our team, and look forward to further collaboration with regulators and stakeholders," said Dr. April Smith, licensing strategist at AMPERA. "We are bringing innovative technologies to market. The NRC is ready to take on this challenge, and we look forward to working with it on this technology, which is unique in the microreactor field." AMPERA has hired Michael Hamer as head of licensing and regulatory affairs. A graduate of the U.S. Navy nuclear program, Hamer has more than 25 years of experience in licensing processes for nuclear power plant projects in the United States, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Canada. Combining this track record with more than 16 years of experience in applied radiation protection physics, Hamer brings deep and holistic expertise to licensing. Hamer and Dr. Smith will lead AMPERA's licensing activities as the company further develops its 'PowerNOW. NuclearNEXT' platform. About AMPERA AMPERA is an advanced energy technology company that develops scalable power supply solutions for data centers and for applications in defense, industry, and maritime. With its 'PowerNOW. NuclearNEXT' strategy, AMPERA combines advanced manufacturing techniques, artificial intelligence, and next-generation energy technologies to deliver reliable, factory-manufactured energy systems. The company's proprietary 'Integrated Energy Architecture(TM)' supports waste heat recovery, electricity generation from conventional fuels, and advanced subcritical nuclear energy, thereby paving a seamless path to a future of clean, abundant energy. For more information, visit www.amperaglobal.com and.

Newswise
Sep 23rd, 2026
3D-Printed, solid-state bioreactor converts methane waste to useful chemicals.

3D-Printed, solid-state bioreactor converts methane waste to useful chemicals. Newswise - When landfills and wastewater treatment plants create methane as a byproduct, much of it is simply burned and its value is lost. But the gas is an energy-rich resource, and it could be recycled as a fuel, chemical feedstock or bioproduct. Capturing and converting waste methane offers an opportunity to recover energy and create useful products from an otherwise wasted gas stream. To harness that resource, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have developed a solid-state bioreactor that can convert methane into succinate, a valuable chemical used to make polymers, stabilize drugs, enhance food flavor and beyond. The small and efficient bioreactor performs over 10 times better than conventional liquid-state systems - and it consumes less power. "Bioproduction using poorly soluble gases has long been limited by slow mass transfer and low efficiency because conventional liquid-phase bioreactors are not well suited for gas fermentation," said LLNL scientist and corresponding author Fang Qian. "With growing interest in recovering energy and valuable products from waste gas streams, new bioreactor technologies designed specifically for gas fermentation are greatly needed." The new method, published in Scientific Reports, exploits the unique metabolisms of methanotrophs, bacteria that naturally consume and process methane. "These microbes are naturally designed to do the conversion. They work without added heat, without added pressure, without all these things that a chemical process normally requires," said LLNL scientist and author Samantha Ruelas. "That's the beautiful thing about this biology. Because it's natural, you don't need those things, and without them, it can be more cost effective." Usually, bioprocesses take place in a large vat. The gas is dissolved in water, the mixture is vigorously stirred, and the bacteria work their magic. But for poorly soluble gases like methane, it is a slow process that requires significant energy and operating costs. As a result, it has been an economic challenge to perform methane bioconversion at scale. "Rather than have this big tank of a 'broth' that you're putting gas into, we produced these thin structures that we call scaffolds," said LLNL scientist and author Nathan Ellebracht. "They're 3D printed. They have a lattice structure, and we put the microorganisms into a hydrogel that fills these really thin walls." The hydrogel walls are mechanically robust and resistant to degradation. The scaffolds supporting them can accommodate many times more bacteria than a vat, and because the walls are like a thin, porous sponge with high surface area and excellent permeability, the methane reaches the microorganisms quickly. The gas flows directly through and around the scaffold, eliminating the need to dissolve it in liquid and stir the tank and allowing efficient interactions with the bacteria. "LLNL's advanced additive manufacturing capabilities enabled us to integrate the selection of scaffold materials printing methods, geometric design and performance modeling into a single development workflow," said LLNL engineer and author Hawi Gemeda. "Once the optimal design parameters were identified, 3D printing allowed rapid fabrication of prototypes across different sizes and scales, accelerating the transition from reactor design to testing and scale-up." This multidisciplinary project brought together LLNL's broad expertise, and it integrated advances in biomaterials, additive manufacturing and bioreactor modeling. "One of the challenges was integrating the engineering design and the limitations of our bacteria," said LLNL scientist and author Natalie Hwee. "It was a combination of figuring out how we could engineer our scaffold to maximize our cell density and gas-cell interaction, but also how we keep the cells alive for more than a few days." The team started off with a two-milliliter reactor and increased it to one liter. While the device requires further scale-up for real-world deployment, its small size could eventually be an advantage. "Economically, chemical plants only work at large scales. At smaller landfill or wastewater treatment facilities, there aren't really good, existing solutions that scale down," said Ellebracht. "Our approach could be applied at a small plant and allow them to get value out." The novel scaffold structure could also be useful for other types of cells and biochemical conversions. "Beyond gas fermentation, most industrial bioproduction relies on aerobic sugar fermentation, where oxygen mass transfer remains a major bottleneck. In addition, the immobilization of the biocatalyst would eliminate the downstream process of separating it from the reaction products," said Qian. "We are now actively extending the solid-state bioreactor concept to other bioprocesses." This work was done with collaborators at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, the Quasar Energy Group and the University of North Texas. It was supported by a Laboratory Directed Research and Development project, LLNL's Innovation and Partnerships Office and a DOE Technology Commercialization Fund. Media contact. Article multimedia. Type of article. Section.

Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide
Sep 1st, 2026
Ampera and Lawrence Livermore partner on advanced nuclear fuel for maritime use.

Ampera and Lawrence Livermore partner on advanced nuclear fuel for maritime use. Nuclear technology company Ampera has partnered with US national research laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop advanced nuclear fuel that could eventually be used in nuclear power systems, including maritime applications. Discover more Stock market news Track Business News Take Economics Courses The collaboration aims to develop a cost-effective and scalable way to manufacture advanced Tri-Structural Isotropic (TRISO) fuel, supporting Ampera's plans to build a secure domestic supply chain for advanced nuclear fuel. TRISO fuel is a nuclear fuel made of tiny fuel particles encased in multiple layers of protective ceramic material, designed to withstand very high temperatures. A key focus will be liquid-metal jetting technology, which uses molten-metal to produce highly uniform, spherical thorium-232 kernels for TRISO fuel. Ampera has already built a prototype particle-production system based on this technology. The project will now involve computer modelling and detailed testing of the fuel particles. It will also cover safe handling of radioactive materials and the development of production methods that can eventually be scaled up for commercial use in shipping and other sectors. The work supports Ampera's longer-term plan to develop advanced fuel for subcritical nuclear power platforms. The company claims its compact, factory-built systems could operate for up to 30 years without refuelling. In April, Monaco-based shipping firm Scorpio Tankers partnered with Ampera to develop floating nuclear-powered barges in the near term and nuclear-powered vessels over the longer term. Source: By Tuhin Roy, ENGINE, https://www.engine.online/news

Interesting Engineering
Aug 27th, 2026
Turning liquid metal jetting into a nuclear fuel manufacturing tool.

Turning liquid metal jetting into a nuclear fuel manufacturing tool. The partnership will evaluate and optimize a manufacturing technique known as liquid-metal jetting. Rather than relying solely on conventional particle-production methods, the approach uses droplet-based technology to produce highly uniform, spherical thorium kernels, the central particles that could eventually form part of TRISO fuel. The project will combine computational modeling, materials testing, nozzle compatibility studies, high-temperature process development, and particle characterization. The teams will also work on establishing scalable manufacturing rules that could support future commercialization. The research builds on earlier work at LLNL, where researchers developed a particle-production prototype using droplet-based liquid-metal-jetting technology. "Public-private projects like this show the value of connecting LLNL's world-class research capabilities with industry partners who have a clear technology need and sharp commercial focus," said Dr. Viktor Sukhotskiy, research engineer and principal investigator at LLNL. The collaboration will also continue work on maturing liquid-metal jetting as an advanced manufacturing technology.