Automation Engineer

We have an opening for an exceptional Automation Engineer to join a multi-disciplinary team in supporting leading edge research and development in metal additive manufacturing. The successful candidate will be self-motivated to collaborate with staff engineers and scientists to develop various automated systems and protocols to enhance the liquid metal jetting droplet-on-demand technology. The Automation Engineer will help develop real-time printing diagnostics with active feedback control and create a framework for automated experiments and data processing to increase throughput of empirical studies on jetting performance. This position is in the Materials Engineering Division (MED) of the Engineering Directorate.

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

You will 

• Develop real-time diagnostics on liquid metal jetting droplet-on-demand additive manufacturing platforms and other droplet-based platforms under general direction.
• Manually evaluate jetting performance of different printhead configurations via experimentation to develop a fully automated platform to evaluate performance with minimal user interaction.
• Fully automate analysis of various data modalities to extract printhead performance metrics using programming environments like Matlab or Python.
• Summarize and communicate findings to staff engineers and scientists.
• Work cooperatively within a multi-disciplinary team to contribute to the fulfillment of program objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, physics, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Experience working independently with proactive communication, in a hands-on experimental environment.
• Fundamental knowledge of, and experience with, laboratory instrumentation such as oscilloscopes, power supplies, network analyzers, waveform generators and electrical diagnostics.
• Experience in developing real-time diagnostics for additive manufacturing processes using machine vision.
• Fundamental knowledge of optical imaging systems and high-speed videography.
• Fundamental knowledge of, and experience with, engineering software tools (PSPICE or similar, Altium PCB layout tools or similar) to design circuits and scientific computing languages (Python, MATLAB, C/C++ or similar) to process data and create graphical user interfaces.
• Aptitude for (and interest in) learning new fields of engineering and physics.
• Self-motivated with ability to effectively handle multiple tasks, projects, and priorities.
• Ability to travel as necessary to fulfill project and program responsibilities.
• Sufficient verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate, present, and explain technical information in a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience in developing real-time diagnostics for ink jetting and/or liquid metal jetting droplet-on-demand additive manufacturing.
• Experience in building automated platforms using active control feedback between sensors and actuators using custom software.
• FPGA and/or microcontroller programming experience.
• Experience in 3D CAD design, such as SolidWorks or similar.
• Experience using visual programming languages such as LabVIEW.
• Experience evaluating and troubleshooting microfluidics systems.

Pay Range

$121,830 - $154,500 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.  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.

#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 and/or possession of mobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area where you are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile device in your possession.  This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.  

If you use a medical device, which pairs with a mobile device, you must still follow the rules concerning the mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas.  Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities require separate 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.

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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. 

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