Physicist jobs in San Jose, CA

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 looking for individuals that demonstrate an understanding of working in partnership with team peers, who engage, advocate, and contribute to building an inclusive culture, and provide expertise to solve challenging problems.

Pay Range

$132,810 - $204,636 Annually

$132,810 - $170,556 Annually for the SES.2 Level

$159,330 - $204,636 Annually for the SES.3 Level

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

We have multiple openings for Computational Physicists aiming to improve national security through the development of simulation codes for world class supercomputing architectures. You will collaborate as part of an interdisciplinary team in advancing state-of-the-art physics simulation capabilities. Applications may include inertial confinement fusion, high-energy density physics, nuclear/conventional weapons, or nuclear counterterrorism. Our projects span the range from smaller, focused research codes/modules to multi-physics, multi-application production codes. This position is in the Design Physics Division within the Strategic Deterrence Directorate.

These positions 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.

You will

• Build simulation tools using modern software practices as part of a team.
• Develop models and algorithms to support physics capabilities for a diverse application space.
• Support users of your simulation tools.
• Share results through conferences, reports/publications, and potential interactions with collaborators.
• Recognize and support plans to promote and foster a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability within the workplace.
• Perform other tasks as assigned.

Additional responsibilities at the mid-career (SES. 3) level

• Develop and critically assess physics capabilities to support applications requiring advanced simulation tools to solve complex problems.
• Collaborate as a technical expert on multidisciplinary teams.
• Set specific technical strategies to achieve project goals.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• PhD or equivalent level of proficiency in physics, mathematics, engineering, or related field.
• Proficiency in developing scientific applications in Python, C/C , or FORTRAN.
• Proficiency in converting theory into computational models, implementing computational models, or evaluating computational algorithms and methods for their applicability.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills and experience authoring high-quality reports/publications and delivering effective technical presentations.
• Demonstrated ability/commitment to promote and value inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability principles in the workplace.

Additional qualifications at the mid-career (SES.3) level

• Advanced knowledge of physics, mathematics, engineering, or a related field.
• Significant professional programming experience.
• Experience in leading, mentoring, and/or collaborating within teams.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills and a demonstrated record of delivering top-quality research in relevant areas of science and engineering.

Qualifications We Desire

• Expertise in one or more science disciplines, such as shock hydrodynamics, solid/fluid mechanics, materials science, particle transport, radiation transport, nuclear physics, plasma physics, or physical chemistry.
• Proficiency in developing and supporting multi-dimensional numerical simulation.
• Proficiency in developing scientific simulations for high-performance and/or heterogeneous computing systems (e.g., use of MPI, OpenMP, Cuda/HIP, or other HPC technologies).
• Proficiency in developing advanced technical solutions (e.g., numerical algorithms).
• Proficiency in working in a multidisciplinary team-research environment, demonstrating creativity and initiative in addressing challenging problems.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Position Information

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

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Included in 2024 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Flexible
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit
• Our core beliefs - visit
• Employee engagement - visit

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.

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:

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.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

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 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 .