Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's first-ever on-site career fair was a resounding success, with more than 500 people coming to the Lab to learn about career opportunities.
As Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) recruits top talent for more than 500 open positions across all directorates and disciplines, hundreds of LLNL hopefuls lined up around the outside of the building and down the sidewalk on Wednesday to enter the Lab's first-ever onsite career fair.
Interest in joining the Lab is high, especially with layoffs affecting many companies in the region; a total of 497 participants braved rainy weather and lined up around the block to learn about current opportunities.
"We had a fantastic turnout at our career fair, and we hope to make some great hires from this event," said Talent Acquisition group leader Sheril Burke. "We have a diverse mix of openings ranging from the operations and business side of the house to scientists and engineers, creating vast opportunities for the community and beyond."
As they listened to dynamic presentations by Lab leaders and met enthusiastic representatives from various departments, attendees were able to learn about many non-classified activities and gain a sense of life at LLNL. The HR team individually reviewed 203 resumes; by mid-event, many participants were gathered in the courtyard to wait patiently for the service. The energy was palpable, with attendees excited to learn about the depth and breadth of opportunity at the Lab.
Openings span a wide range of roles, including communications specialist, designers, tradespeople, technicians, operations managers, software developers, security professionals and scientists.
"Many people don't realize how diverse the Lab is and how much we are hiring," said Lola Hepa, Administrator, TID. "We've gotten a good stack of resumes and experienced even more interest than I anticipated."
The fair was held at the Livermore Valley Open Campus near the Lab's East Gate off Greenville Road, which is a hybrid area of the campus oriented toward education and innovation in partnership with outside organizations. Representatives from Weapons and Complex Integration, Global Security, Computing, Engineering and Operations & Business gave 30-minute presentations to a room full of potential applicants.
"It was energizing to present to the potential next generation of Lab employees at the Career Fair. The response to the event was amazing," said Workforce Services and Development Manager Phil Weiss, from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. "I'm confident that this event will lead to more employees joining the existing Livermore Lab employees in support of our mission."
With new talent pouring into every division, it's a time of change for the Lab, and leaders emphasized the opportunities for growth and significant contribution for early-career employees.
"You'll end up in positions of leadership much earlier in your career," said National Security Engineering division leader Donn McMahon, in his presentation to an eager crowd. "We'd like to open up people to an experience that hopefully will be life-changing," he said.
Tables lined the sidewalk with representatives from the Director's Office, Computing, Engineering, Physical & Life Sciences, Global Security, NIF & Photon Science and Operations & Business, just to name a few.
"I was happy to see many people who were interested and had applicable skillsets," said Nick Matyas, software engineer in the Global Security Computing Division.
North Wind Services, Veterans Military Outreach, the International Service Office, Livermore Laboratory Employee Services Association (LLESA) and a range of employee resource groups (ERGs) were also represented.
"Many people were happy to see that a government funded agency was so forward-thinking and supports the LGBTQ+ community," said Becca Walton of the LLNL Pride ERG.
The job fair was a huge success, and the HR team is optimistic that they will fill the open roles with top talent. The event was also a great example of the community spirit of LLNL.
"We will remember the day for the partnerships and support the Talent Acquisition received from all areas throughout the Lab," said Talent Acquisition Division Leader Debbie Eaton.
From the Public Affairs team spreading the word, to the employees from the many organizations that welcomed applicants, to the facilities team that took care of logistics and the Protective Force directing traffic, the job fair was a team effort that underscored everything that makes the Lab an interconnected, mission-driven community.
"It was a true team experience across the Lab that made the day a success and demonstrated that LLNL is truly a great place to work," said Eaton.
