Forensic Science Center Director

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; Livermore (CA); On-site; USD 282,000 - 360,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Benefits Package

Relocation Assistance

Education Reimbursement Program

401(k)

Job summary

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) invites applications for the Director of the Forensic Science Center (FSC). You will oversee strategy, staff, budgets, and sponsor engagement to advance CBRNE mission needs.

Reporting to the PLS Principal Associate Director, you will interact with sponsors and senior leaders, develop and grow the FSC portfolio, and lead cross-disciplinary teams to deliver on-time, within budget results.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education and FSC-relevant experience.
• Active DOE Q-level or Top-Secret clearance at hire.
• Experience in general forensic science and WMD/public safety applications.
• Experience with program development and sponsor engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead formulation and execution of science and technology strategies for the FSC.
• Manage FSC staff, resources, performance expectations.
• Develop and maintain forensic science programs for FSC.
• Oversee budget, schedules, and risk-management for FSC.
• Represent FSC with sponsors and senior leadership.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Team development

Communication skills

Education

PhD in Chemistry/Physics/Biology/Nuclear Science or related

Job description

Forensic Science Center Director Company Description 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 national security of the United States? Join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), where our employees develop solutions for the Nation's most difficult national security challenges.

Job Description

We have an opening for a Director of the Forensic Science Center (FSC). You will be responsible for providing overall management, strategic direction, and accountable execution of a portfolio of externally funded projects, primarily for the Strategic Threat Analysis and Response (STAR) Directorate; directing the maintenance, enhancement, and integration of the Center's general forensic scientific capabilities in support of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) mission needs; and leading sponsor engagement and program development to sustain and grow the portfolio. You will regularly interact and negotiate with staff and senior managers across the Laboratory, the scientific community, and sponsors, universities, industry, and government agencies at the senior leadership level.

This position is in the Physical and Life Sciences (PLS) Directorate and will report directly to the PLS Principal Associate Director. The Director establishes Center priorities, manages staff and resources, delegates assignments, and is accountable for achieving FSC strategic, operational, programmatic, and financial objectives.

In this role you will

• Lead the formulation and execution of science and technology strategies and long-range plans for the FSC, aligned with Laboratory and PLS strategic objectives.
• Manage FSC staff and organizational resources on an ongoing basis; establish work plans, delegate assignments, set performance expectations, and ensure effective execution of Center priorities.
• Develop and manage forensic science and related programs pertinent to the FSC, in coordination with relevant programs and/or division leaders at LLNL.
• Develop and maintain technical contributions to sensitive program areas in support of operational needs.
• Provide guidance and strategic direction for programmatic strategies in support of FSC and STAR missions.
• Oversee programmatic and operational execution of projects in the FSC and ensure that FSC programmatic commitments are delivered safely, on time, and on budget.
• Establish and manage Center-level budgets, schedules, performance standards, and risk-management approaches, ensuring the effective use of personnel, scientific infrastructure, and other resources.
• Working with the appropriate LLNL staff and leadership, formulate, develop, and socialize new ideas resulting in funding for existing and new sponsors, including the Department of Homeland Security, Department of War, Department of Justice, and members of the Intelligence Community.
• Identify, develop, and coordinate strategies to recruit, train, develop, and retain world-class scientists across the CBRNE FSC mission areas and identified future expertise as warranted.
• In coordination with appropriate LLNL staff, identify, develop, and implement plans to strengthen FSC operational efficiencies, resulting in effective cost management of FSC's scientific infrastructure.
• Develop and implement a strategy to support FSC presence at high-visibility opportunities within the scientific community, including academia, government, and private sector. This will include FSC staff participation in major national and international conferences, as well as in pertinent extramural organizations, for example AAFS.
• Represent FSC and PLS in discussions with senior Laboratory leadership, sponsors, external partners, and government stakeholders on matters significant to the Center and its mission.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• This position requires an active Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance or active Top-Secret clearance issued by another U.S. government agency at the time of hire.
• PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Nuclear Science, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and FSC-relevant experience.
• Appropriate experience in general forensic science, with recognized technical expertise in one or more areas of WMD forensic and attribution science, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive.
• Extensive experience in and demonstrated programmatic development of operational forensic science applications to support law enforcement and/or the Intelligence Community.
• Extensive experience with relevant external sponsors and an understanding of the FSC sponsor base and interactions, with no reservations about navigating such collaborations immediately after selection as FSC Director.
• Extensive leadership and team-building skills in multidisciplinary science and technology, including managing staff, establishing organizational priorities, and directing work through subordinate leaders or technical staff.
• Demonstrated experience managing organizational or programmatic resources, including budgets, schedules, infrastructure, and workforce planning.
• Advanced level of technical management experience with demonstrated and proven success in the interface between use-inspired basic research and applied research.
• Expert communication, facilitation, collaboration, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills necessary to effectively interact with senior management, customers/sponsors, and the scientific community on a variety of management-level technical and highly complex issues.

Qualifications we desire

• Experience working nationally important issues that involve National Laboratories, forensic laboratories, Federal Agencies and Industry at program and policy levels.
• Experience with deployment and field support activities.
• Experience supporting federal Law Enforcement and/or Intelligence Community operations.

Pay Range

$282,210 - $359,700 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; 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.

Additional Information

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 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. Also, you must have the ability to obtain and maintain Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access. 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.

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.

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job 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.