Laboratory Quality Assurance Lead

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 an opening for a Laboratory Quality Assurance Lead. You will work with Environment, Safety & Health (ES&H) Analytical Services and Instrumentation (AS&I) to ensure environmental, industrial hygiene and radiological analytical data and processes meet appropriate quality assurance and quality control standards.  This position acts as a designated Quality Assurance Manager/Lead for multiple accreditation programs including ISO-17025, AIHA-LAP, CA ELAP, TNI, and Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP). This position is in the Technical Services Department.

This position will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level. 

This position may offer a hybrid schedule, which includes the flexibility to work from home one or more days per week, after a probationary period. 

You Will

• Provide oversight and direction to ensure that ES&H AS&I laboratories are compliant with applicable AIHA-LAP, CA ELAP, ISO-17025, TNI and DOELAP requirements to maintain the accreditations.
• Administer a comprehensive approach for a standardized Quality Management System that requires management of multiple QA plans and numerous SOPs implementing QA requirements in eight laboratories.
• Interpret and translate regulatory and contractual quality requirements into actionable program-level controls. Ensure quality policies, procedures, and work instructions are current, controlled, and effectively deployed.
• Prepare and perform annual reviews of accreditation checklists/internal audits based on accreditation standards. Prepare internal unknown QC samples as required by the applicable QC procedures.
• Prepare accreditation applications to the accrediting bodies. Interface with accrediting bodies and Livermore Field Office, and act as point of contact for all accreditations. Coordinate and facilitate multiple on-site accreditation assessments.
• Coordinate and lead management reviews for all accredited laboratories.  Prepare agenda and conduct meetings. Document and implement action items.
• Lead QA Core team meetings for all accredited laboratories on a predefined cadence. Prepare and present compliance status to senior management and program leadership.
• Prepare nonconformance reports and support associated investigations and corrective actions. Develop and implement corrective action plans.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities, at the TSS.4 level

• Provide expert quality assurance guidance and direction to management, laboratory staff, and technical leaders. Integrate quality risk management principles into program planning and execution.
• Lead implementation, maintenance and continuous improvement of the organizational Quality Management System in alignment with all applicable requirements.
• Review institutional and directorate QMS documents and provide feedback. Ensure compliance with institutional and directorate policies and procedures.

Qualifications:

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, radiochemistry, nuclear chemistry, or other closely related applied science, or the equivalent combination of education and significant related experience and demonstrated ability to lead independent work.
• Proficient experience administering quality management systems for analytical and calibration laboratories, such as ISO 17025, AIHA-LAP, California State Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (CA-ELAP), TNI 2016 or DOELAP. 
• Demonstrated ability to guide multiple levels of staff in the implementation and maintenance of associated QMS activities including leveraging laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to complete QMS activities.
• Ability to review and interpret complex technical data generated by the analyses or calibrations performed in environmental, industrial hygiene, external dosimetry, radiation spectroscopy, or radiochemical laboratories.
• Experience utilizing advanced analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to evaluate, interpret, negotiate, recommend, and implement actions/solutions to complex problems.
• Effective and efficient organizational skills to coordinate multiple and frequently conflicting, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
• Significant experience determining long and short-term project objectives with limited consultative direction, working independently and in a team environment with a broad cross-section of people and organizations, managing complex projects, and meeting schedules.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment and present and explain technical information and provide advice to all levels of scientific staff, management, and external collaborators.

Additional qualifications at the TSS.4 level 

• Substantial experience concurrently administering multiple (two or more) highly complex quality management systems for environmental or public health analytical laboratories. 
• Experience planning for, designing, and obtaining initial accreditation which did not previously exist for a laboratory.
• Highly advanced experience required to prepare control charts, design calibration procedures, interpret and negotiate accreditation requirements, and communicate the business case to management.

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience with two or more of the following: radiation calibration or industrial hygiene calibration equipment, personnel dosimetry, alpha spectroscopy, gamma spectroscopy, gas proportional, liquid scintillation counting, inductive coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) instrumentation.
• Experience administering quality assurance programs in DOE or other governmental programs.
• Experience managing an AIHA-LAP quality assurance program.
• Experience working in a DOELAP accredited laboratory.

 

Pay Range: $154,950- $235,692 annually

$154,950 - $196,476 Annually for the TSS.3 level
$185,850 - $235,692 Annually for the TSS.4 level

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.

Additional Information:

#LI-Hybrid

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.

How to identify fake job advertisements

Please be aware of recruitment scams where people or entities are misusing the name of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to post fake job advertisements. LLNL never extends an offer without a personal interview and will never charge a fee for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Career Page under “Find Your Job” of our website. If you have encountered a job posting or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond.

To learn more about recruitment scams: https://www.llnl.gov/sites/www/files/2023-05/LLNL-Job-Fraud-Statement-Updated-4.26.23.pdf

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.

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