Berkeley Lab has a proud tradition of supporting veterans of the U.S. armed forces. We actively engage with service members interested in working at the Lab and provide support as they transition from military service to civilian roles.
As part of its veteran recruitment activities, Lab representatives attended the U.S. Coast Guard Base Alameda Career Summit, which took place in Alameda, California, on February 11, 2025.
Veterans offer “many valuable skills and experience from their military service, with attributes that contribute to achieving the Lab’s mission, including leadership and problem-solving skills, adaptability, work ethic, operational knowledge, and relationship-building,” said Alexandra Degg, a principal Human Resources Division partner at Berkeley Lab, who participated in the event.
Degg, who serves as outreach committee lead for Berkeley Lab’s Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG), commented, “VERG is dedicated to enhancing the work environment for veteran employees and recruiting skilled veterans to the Lab. Our Outreach Committee has over ten dedicated members who actively engage with veterans in the community to highlight the Lab’s diverse career opportunities.”
The Lab’s Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, Rasool Yousufzai, also participated in the event: “I have participated in similar events focused on hiring veterans, and I am always impressed by the motivation and enthusiasm of individuals eager to join the national labs. Their backgrounds often align closely with our work, and they demonstrate strong resourcefulness, excellent problem-solving skills, and a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.”
The event was the first of two Bay Area Hiring Our Heroes Career Summits that the Lab participated in during the week of February 10, 2025. The second was held at Travis Air Force Base near Fairfield, California, on February 13, 2025. Degg observes, “These events provide valuable opportunities to engage with veterans seeking careers in various fields, including program management, IT, engineering, communications, administration, facilities, and other professional roles.”
“Candidates at both events,” she added, “were particularly drawn to the Lab’s diverse career paths, impactful mission, and comprehensive benefits package. With employees representing various occupations at each event, the Lab effectively showcased its commitment to veterans and their value to the workforce.”
The two events resulted in the Lab collecting over forty interest forms. The team is following up with each candidate to discuss potential career opportunities.
“Meeting service members interested in learning about civilian job opportunities at Berkeley Lab was gratifying. Their skill set is transferable and can be of great value for some of our professional and technical roles,” said Asmita Patel, deputy division director for operations in the Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics Division.
Other Berkeley Lab staff members who participated in the U.S. Coast Guard Base Alameda Career Summit included Ladan Khandel, an assurance analyst in the Security & Emergency Services Division, and Curtis Gomez, an electronics engineering technical manager in the Engineering Division.
Click here to learn more about career opportunities at Berkeley Lab.
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