Computational Optimization Analyst

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States' security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are dedicated to fostering a culture that values individuals, talents, partnerships, ideas, experiences, and different perspectives, recognizing their importance to the continued success of the Laboratory's mission.

Pay Range

$140,700 - $178,392 Annually for the SES.2 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.

We have an opening for a Computational Optimization Analyst to perform mechanical analyses of nonlinear, physical systems and to conduct applied research in the gradient-based design optimization of these systems. You will work both collaboratively and individually to extend our current simulation and optimization capabilities and apply these tools in the design and analysis of mission-relevant hardware to maximize its performance. Our team is working to extend the state of the art in support of Laboratory missions. This position is in the Computational Engineering Division (CED), within the Engineering Directorate.

In this role you will

• Contribute to and actively participate in the analyses of mission hardware using current production meshing and simulation tools. Utilize engineering knowledge, skills, experience, and judgment to assess suitability of hardware for its intended purpose using computational models, acting quickly and correctly to configure and run simulation codes, to post-process, and to interpret the results, following established workflows and best practices. Analyses may include solid and fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, and fracture and failure analysis, as necessary, and may involve exploring trade-offs, comparing alternative designs or design modifications, and supporting testing.
• Contribute to the fulfillment of project and organizational goals by providing input on technical issues for specific projects, recommending improvements, new ideas, and/or modifications as appropriate, and exploring a variety of approaches within generally established methods to support direction and decisions made by self, team, management and/or external customers.
• Participate in the development, implementation, and solution of design optimization problem formulations, working under the guidance of project leadership and team members to maximize component and system performance while also respecting performance and manufacturing constraints. Write, test, and document moderately complex to complex production-level computational mechanics software.
• Collaborate with stakeholders, subject matter experts, code development teams, manufacturing teams, and others to iterate on and assist with problem formulations, analysis approaches, etc. to ensure results satisfy all requirements.
• Work both independently and collaboratively in multidisciplinary team environments to contribute to the accomplishment of research, design, and analysis goals.
• Document, disseminate, and explain findings through formal and informal design reviews, presentations, peer-reviewed journal publications, technical reports, and attendance at technical conferences, etc. as required.
• Support programmatic deliverables with occasional travel, as necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Master's degree in Mechanical, Civil, or Aerospace Engineering or closely related technical discipline, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge and broad experience in implementing computational mechanics using the finite element method.
• Broad experience programming in C++, including template meta-programming, and scripting languages like Python.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly and correctly configure and run simulation codes, to post-process, and to interpret the results by following established workflows and best practices.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills needed to effectively collaborate in a team environment, prepare, present, and explain technical information, successful proposals, and high-quality research papers, and to document executed work.
• Ability to travel.

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience in one or more of the following areas: uncertainty quantification; mechanical design codes such as AutoDesk or Creo; finite element analysis codes (e.g., ABAQUS, ANSYS, LSDYNA, etc.) or libraries (e.g., MFEM, MOOSE, FEniCS, etc.); and highly nonlinear or transient computational mechanics (plastic flow, fracture mechanics, shocks, etc.).
• Experience with parallel computing and one or more of the associated parallel programming interfaces, such as MPI, OpenMP, or CUDA.
• Experience in development of software in a version-controlled environment (e.g., git), including testing and documentation.

#LI-Hybrid

Position Information

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

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2025 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• FlexibleBenefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Our values - visithttps://www.llnl.gov/inclusion/our-values

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance.If you are selected, wewill initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if youmeet 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 useand/or possession ofmobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area whereyou are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile devicein your possession. This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.

Ifyou useamedical device, whichpairs with a mobile device,you must still follow the rules concerningthe mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities requireseparate approval. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or wireless that has been disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings.

How to identify fake job advertisements

Please be aware of recruitment scams where people or entities are misusing the name of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to post fake job advertisements. LLNL never extends an offer without a personal interview and will never charge a fee for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Career Page under "Find Your Job" of our website. If you have encountered a job posting or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond.

To learn more about recruitment scams:https://www.llnl.gov/sites/www/files/2023-05/LLNL-Job-Fraud-Statement-Updated-4.26.23.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request.

CaliforniaPrivacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitlesjob applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.