Software Engineer

LLNL; Livermore (CA); On-site; USD 122,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Referral Bonus

Job summary

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is actively hiring Software Engineers to advance AI-driven software within the Infrastructure Applications Program. You will join a multidisciplinary team in the ASQ Division to design, implement, test, and deploy software supporting national security missions.

Role emphasizes AI-enabled capabilities, collaboration with stakeholders, and applying modern software practices.

Qualifications

• US citizenship required for DOE Q clearance
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field
• Strong understanding of software fundamentals and OOP
• Familiarity with source control, issue tracking, testing methodologies, and collaborative workflows
• Experience designing data models and knowledge graphs for AI LLM consumption
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to work independently and in teams
• Hands-on experience with AI-native systems including MCP-based applications

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development and integration of AI-enabled capabilities
• Collaborate with engineers, designers, liaisons, customers to gather requirements
• Learn and apply new technologies and industry best practices
• Create and maintain clear technical documentation and user guides
• Communicate progress, status, challenges, and recommendations
• Use Git, Bitbucket, Jira, testing frameworks, and agile methods

Skills

AI-enabled development

Software engineering

OOP

Data modeling

Documentation

Communication

AI-native systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE or related field

Tools

Neo4j

MongoDB

Cassandra

DynamoDB

Job description

• Category: Information Technology/Computing
• Employee Referral Bonus: $1500
• Job Code 1: SES.1 Science & Engineering MTS 1
• Pre-Employment Drug Test: Required for external applicant(s) selected for this position (includes testing for use of marijuana)
• Pre-Placement Medical Exam: Not applicable
• Security Clearance: Anticipated DOE Q clearance (requires U.S. citizenship and a federal background investigation)

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact advancing science and technology to strengthen U.S. security and promote global stability.

Our mission spans four critical national security areas nuclear deterrence, threat preparedness, energy security, and multi-domain defense empowering teams to take on the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow. With a culture built on innovation and operational excellence, LLNL is a place where your expertise can make a real impact.

Job Description

We have openings for Software Engineers to support development, testing, integration, and design activities within the Infrastructure Applications Program (IAP). The Software Engineer serves as a member of a multidisciplinary software development team, contributing to the design, implementation, maintenance, and deployment of software solutions while collaborating with stakeholders to support program objectives and mission needs. You will be working with other team members to build AI-driven applications to support the Office of Livermore Infrastructure’s mission and business goals. These positions are in the Applications, Simulations, and Quality (ASQ) Division in the Computing Directorate.

You will

• Contribute to the development and integration of AI-enabled capabilities, including AI agents, automation solutions, and emerging artificial intelligence technologies.
• Collaborate effectively with software engineers, designers, liaisons, customers, and other stakeholders to gather requirements, solve problems, and deliver high-quality solutions.
• Demonstrate a strong learning mindset by continuously exploring new technologies, industry trends, and best practices, and applying new knowledge to improve technical solutions.
• Create and maintain clear technical documentation, including system designs, implementation details, user guides, and operational procedures to support knowledge sharing and maintainability.
• Communicate technical progress, project status, challenges, and recommendations through written reports, presentations, demonstrations, and team discussions.
• Utilize modern software engineering practices and tools, including Git, Bitbucket, Jira, testing frameworks, and agile development methodologies to support successful project execution and software delivery.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a US DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. Citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of software development fundamentals, including object-oriented programming, data structures, algorithms, and software design principles.
• Familiarity with modern software development tools and practices, including source control systems, issue tracking tools, testing methodologies, and collaborative development workflows.
• Familiarity designing data models and building knowledge graphs for consumption by AI large-language models.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Hands-on experience developing AI-native systems, including Model Context Protocol (MCP)-based applications and skills.

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience with graph and NoSQL databases, such as Neo4j, MongoDB, Cassandra, or DynamoDB, with the ability to design scalable data models, define semantic relationships, and integrate structured and unstructured data for intelligent AI workflows.
• Experience developing applications with one or more of the following libraries: AngularJS, Spring Boot, or Play.
• Experience supporting software development or scientific computing organizations in a national laboratory, research, or federally funded environment.

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; 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 2026Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)

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.

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 entitles 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 .