Principal Scientist

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).  Our MISSION is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by providing high-hazard experimentation and incident response capabilities through operations, engineering, education, field, and integration services and by acting as environmental stewards to the Site’s Cold War legacy.  Our VISION is to be the user site of choice for large-scale, high-hazard, national security experimentation, with premier facilities and capabilities below ground, on the ground, and in the air. (See NNSS.gov for our unique capabilities.) Our 2,750+ professional, craft, and support employees are called upon to innovate, collaborate, and deliver on some of the more difficult nuclear security challenges facing the world today.  In this environment, the best ideas need to be voiced and every opinion matters.  As such, MSTS places great value on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and is committed to a diverse and equitable workforce, with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, and perspectives.

• MSTS offers our full-time employees highly competitive salaries and benefits packages including medical, dental, and vision; both a pension and a 401k; paid time off and 96 hours of paid holidays; relocation (if located more than 75 miles from work location); tuition assistance and reimbursement; and more.  
• MSTS is a limited liability company consisting of Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs), and HII Nuclear Inc.

We are looking for a Principal Scientist candidate as a member of a multidisciplinary team at the NNSS’ Special Technologies Laboratory in Santa Barbara, CA. We are seeking highly motivated scientists who will work as effective leaders and team members to solve national security problems. The successful candidate will play a key role in all aspects of project life-cycles from initial proposal development to final reporting. In addition to performing technical work, the candidate will provide technical direction and assign work to scientists, engineers, technicians and other project team members. This scientist will collaborate with partner labs within the DOE and with academia and serve as subject matter expert on research and development projects. They will create technical reports and present findings to US governmental stakeholders and customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Work as a Principal Investigator proposing, developing, testing and delivering novel systems in support of national security objectives.
• Lead small project teams (including tasking and budgets) and report deliverables directly to sponsors and collaborators.
• Work with other senior staff to conduct experiments for a diverse array of real-world applications.
• Travel to and participate in field experiments and project meetings.
• Focus on the most complex projects with the broadest technical scope, requiring interdisciplinary and interagency coordination.
• Set priorities and standards for research, data compilation and data analysis.
• Carry out special or unique studies requiring unconventional or novel approaches and techniques.
• Serve as an expert resource, consultant, and advisor both internally and to other organizations.
• Develop new initiatives and technical capabilities for the company to address mission goals
• Advise management on technology utilization and development. Provide guidance to senior management regarding strategic development opportunities for new technologies and capabilities.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Management.

• Bachelor’s degree in a calculus-based (STEM) field, plus at least 9 years’ relevant experience. Skill building experience must demonstrate either deeper technical specialization or additional cross-disciplinary knowledge. Graduate research experience may be recognized.
• Expertise in the fields of remote sensing, optical physics, spectroscopy, material science, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, or geophysics is of particular interest.
• Strong experimental and theoretical background in scientific research directed towards real world applications is required.
• Ability to manage multiple ongoing projects is required.
• Experience writing successful technical proposals and responding to broad area announcements is desired.
• Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge, experience, and judgment to evaluate and interpret data is required.
• Experience effectively managing projects or teams and ensuring milestones are achieved,  schedules are met and work is performed within scope, cost, and schedule is required.
• Interpersonal communication skills to promote an open and informal communication environment, foster collaborations and develop mutual trust and teamwork are required.
• Demonstrated skills to establish and maintain strong and effective customer relationships are highly desired.
• The primary work location will be at the Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) located in Santa Barbara, California.
• Flexible work schedule can be negotiated with the manager; employees can work a 5/8s, 9/80, or 4/10s work-week.
• Pre-placement physical examination, which includes a drug screen, is required. MSTS maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.

MSTS is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants offered employment with MSTS are also subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. In addition, Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship, at least 18 years of age. Reference DOE Order 472.2, “Personnel Security”. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Department of Energy Q Clearance (position will be cleared to this level). Reviews and tests for the absence of any illegal drug as defined in 10 CFR Part 707.4, “Workplace Substance Abuse Programs at DOE Sites,” will be conducted.  Applicant selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation, required to participate in subsequent reinvestigations, and must meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. Successful completion of a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination, may also be required. Reference 10 CFR Part 709, “Counterintelligence Evaluation Program.”

MSTS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. MSTS is a background screening, drug-free workplace.

Annual salary range for this position is: $121,451.20 - $185,224.00.

Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate education and experience and internal equity.