Facility Operations Manager - NIF Facility and Infrastructure

Do you want to lead a team that sustains one of the most advanced facilities in the world while enabling groundbreaking national security science? The National Ignition Facility (NIF)—the world’s largest and most energetic laser—seeks a dynamic Facility Operations Manager to guide the NIF Facilities & Infrastructure team through operations, critical upgrades, reliability engineering, and lifecycle sustainment planning. This role offers a unique opportunity to apply your expertise and vision to strengthen the backbone of a world-class facility.

As the Facility Operations Manager, you will oversee a multi-disciplinary team responsible for operating, maintaining, and modernizing the infrastructure that supports around-the-clock laser operations. You will guide the long-term sustainment of critical systems and drive facility upgrades to support future mission requirements, including the Sustainment Project and the Enhanced Yield Capability initiative. You will also provide direct leadership in budget planning, resource allocation, and technical direction to maintain and improve NIF’s operational excellence.. These positions are in the Laser Systems Engineering & Operations (LSEO) Division, within the Engineering Directorate.

In this role you will

• Provide technical leadership to a skilled and multi-disciplinary team: Guide an organization of approximately 60 engineers, technicians, and operators working across multiple shifts and subsystems, with a focus on reliability, quality and mission delivery.
• Champion reliability and sustainment: Develop and apply advanced methods in reliability engineering, condition-based maintenance, and lifecycle sustainment for mission-critical infrastructure and technical systems.
• Support critical operations: Ensure the continuous availability and performance of complex utility and laser beamline infrastructure to support NIF’s demanding shot schedule.
• Drive modernization and project execution: Lead the implementation of the Sustainment Project and support the development and deployment of systems for the Enhanced Yield Capability initiative.
• Plan strategically: Develop long-range strategies to meet current and future facility needs, collaborating with engineering, project management, and scientific teams.
• Improve operational efficiency: Identify and implement improvements in process, system design, and maintenance approaches that enhance performance, uptime, and total cost of ownership.
• Communicate and coordinate: Provide regular briefings to senior leadership, sponsors and the project team on system readiness, project progress, and long-term infrastructure planning.
• Manage budgets and resources: Oversee financial planning and resource allocation for operations and sustainment activities, with responsibility for meeting key performance, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Engineering, or a related technical field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Proven leadership and management experience directing multi-disciplinary technical and operations teams in complex industrial, laboratory, or defense-related environments, with demonstrated success in strategic planning, resource optimization, and driving innovation in complex technical settings.
• Extensive experience in managing multi-million-dollar budgets, allocating resources strategically, collaborating with leadership to align annual priorities with organizational goals, and applying advanced knowledge of reliability engineering principles, infrastructure sustainment strategies, and asset management.
• Technical expertise in facility operations involving cleanliness, stability, nuclear materials, controls, and detectors, with experience resolving complex technical issues, tackling unique challenges, and sustaining critical infrastructure.
• Expert level communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills to lead diverse teams, drive innovation, build effective partnerships, and interact with senior management and sponsors while representing operational objectives.

Qualifications We Desire

• Master’s degree in Physics, Engineering, or a related technical field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Experience applying reliability-centered maintenance, failure mode and effects analysis, or fault tree analysis.
• Familiarity with safety and quality systems in high-consequence environments.
• * Experience supporting regulated operations in defense, energy, or national security contexts.
• Prior military or civilian nuclear, or naval propulsion program experience.

Additional Information

#LI-Onsite

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!
• 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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