Senior​/Principal​/Senior Principal Scientist; Multi-Level

Senior/Principal/Senior Principal Scientist (Multi-Level) –
Mission Support and Test Services, LLC

Location:

North Las Vegas, NV (primary work at Losee Road facility; frequent visits to Nevada National Security Site)

Employment type:

Full‑time

Seniority level:
Mid‑Senior

Job function:
Science

$99,340.80/yr – $/yr (Senior Scientist)

$/yr – $/yr (Principal Scientist)

$/yr – $/yr (Senior Principal Scientist)

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. The Enhanced Capabilities for Subcritical Experiments (ECSE) program seeks scientists at various career stages to support the installation, commissioning, and technical maturation of Scorpius, a linear induction accelerator that will image weapons experiments with high‑energy x‑rays.

Work is conducted in a high‑consequence DOE environment in collaboration with the Nevada National Security Site, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratory.

• Develop imaginative solutions that evaluate standards and processes.
• Design, execute, and analyze accelerator/beam experiments (injector, transport, target/x‑ray conversion, stability/BBU, corkscrew mitigation).
• Develop, commission, and operate beam and x‑ray diagnostics such as BPMs, Faraday cups, scintilla tors/ICCD, streak cameras, x‑ray diodes, spectrometers, and interferometers.
• Build, validate, and apply physics models and multiphysics simulations; iterate designs based on experimental data.
• Apply machine learning to accelerate tuning, improve diagnostics insights, and support experiment planning.
• Author test plans, procedures, and technical reports; present results to leadership and external partners.
• Work safely with high voltage, radiation, vacuum, and pressure systems; follow Work Planning & Control and configuration management.
• Collaborate across controls (timing/EPICS), solid‑state pulse power, alignment, targets, and operations.

• Lead major ECSE work streams and define technical roadmaps.
• Serve on design and test readiness reviews; mentor team members.
• Lead a small machine‑learning deployment with validation and rollback processes.
• Maintain a rigorous safety culture; own hazard analysis and controls for a campaign.

• Technical lead for major ECSE capability areas; define requirements and interfaces.
• Plan and lead future multi‑campaign test efforts.
• Integrate cross‑discipline work (pulse‑power, magnets, controls, targets) to achieve replicable beam/x‑ray performance.
• Set standards for machine‑learning governance and oversee high‑value deployments.
• Own safety procedures, hazard analysis, and acceptance criteria.
• Mentor senior scientists and engineers; build recruitment pipelines.
• Publish, produce intellectual property, and contribute to technical proposals.

• Technical leader and design authority for major ECSE capabilities.
• Lead multi‑campaign test strategies from IOC to FOC, balancing risks, schedule, and performance.
• Establish diagnostics/analysis standards across the program.
• Own cross‑discipline integration to achieve consistent beam/x‑ray performance.
• Define machine‑learning roadmap and governance.
• Develop and mentor technical leaders; build recruitment pipelines.
• Define the program's safety strategy and drive continuous improvements.
• Influence external partnerships and vendor roadmaps; guide acquisition decisions.
• Steward budget and Earned Value Management System at the capability level.

Senior Scientist

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field + 5+ years relevant experience.
• Proven track record leading end‑to‑end accelerator or plasma or pulsed power campaigns.
• Deep expertise in at least two of: injector physics/diodes & cathodes; transport and stability mitigation; target/x‑ray source design; high‑speed diagnostics; pulsed power drivers.
• Required:
  
  PhD (or MS/BS with 7–10+ years);
  Design Authority experience;
  Multiphysics optimization experience.

Principal Scientist

• Bachelor’s degree + 9+ years…