Senior Mechanical Engineer

Role summary

Senior Mechanical Engineer is a role at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, United States (on-site). Posted 2026-09-08. Experience level: 5-10.

Job title

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Company

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Location

Berkeley, California, United States

Work arrangement

on-site

Category

Trades & Construction

Experience level

5-10

Date posted

2026-09-08

Job description

The Facilities Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join our Engineering team. This role plays a central part in managing and improving campus mechanical systems by enhancing performance, diagnosing and resolving issues, and identifying opportunities to improve safety, efficiency, and reliability. The position also provides mechanical engineering support for projects as needed and contributes to a multidisciplinary team supporting world-class science.

The Senior Mechanical Engineer independently plans and executes work, applying professional judgment and standard mechanical engineering techniques to solve complex challenges. Responsibilities include troubleshooting mechanical equipment, defining scopes of work, evaluating system performance, and developing solutions that optimize operations and efficiency. The ideal candidate brings strong expertise in mechanical system design, operation, and problem-solving, along with a collaborative approach to working in a diverse environment.

We’re here for the same mission, to bring science solutions to the world. Join our team and YOU will play a supporting role in our goal to address global challenges! Have a high level of impact and work for an organization associated with 17 Nobel Prizes!

Why join Berkeley Lab?

We invest in our employees by offering a total rewards package you can count on:

Exceptional health and retirement benefits , including pension or 401K-style plans

Opportunities to grow in your career - check out our Tuition Assistance Program

A culture where you’ll belong - we are invested in our teams!

In addition to accruing vacation and sick time, we also have a Winter Holiday Shutdown every year.

Parental bonding leave (for both mothers and fathers)

Pet insurance

You will:

Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for assigned functions and act as primary engineer owning assigned mechanical, plumbing, and specialty plumbing systems.

Lead problem-solving efforts and meetings to set priorities and direction, providing expert support and resolving issues promptly.

Conduct equipment failure investigations, operational and trend reviews, and functional testing to evaluate system performance and address findings with stakeholders.

Evaluate systems' spare capacity and ability to support scientific equipment installations.

Develop conceptual designs and scopes of work to address deficiencies and improvements, coordinating with other disciplines to deliver complete scopes.

Specify equipment replacements for improved performance and cost-effectiveness.

Improve system documentation, diagrams, and procedures to reflect current conditions.

Contribute to infrastructure planning and modernization by providing recommendations that inform leadership's capital investment decisions.

Utilize the central maintenance management system (CMMS) to complete work orders and advise on asset history, repairs, and trends.

Work closely with, and at times manage, external consultants or contractors to execute assessments, or equipment replacements.

Maintain assigned master specifications, design guidelines, and standard details.

Support design and construction projects by:

Establishing project scopes, requirements, and design criteria.

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