Electrical Mechanical Engineer (R&D Engineer 1/2)

Job description

What You Will DoThe Nuclear Materials Science Group (MST-16) is seeking a highly motivated Electrical or Mechanical R&D Engineer (R&D Engineer 1/2) to support the 40mm Impact Test Facility.

This role centers on implementing and optimizing diagnostics systems for velocity measurement of materials subjected to shock events.

You will work in multidisciplinary teams alongside technicians, scientists, and engineers to maintain, upgrade, and lead impact test operations in secure nuclear facilities.

MST-16 supports national security missions through engineering innovation, system development, and materials testing in support of Pit Surveillance, Plutonium Modernization, and other core programs.The successful candidate will work with high-performance oscilloscopes and PDV diagnostics fibers, VISAR, and lasers.

This includes installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and upgrades for dynamic experiments in plutonium environments.

Key responsibilities include developing engineering solutions for mechanical and electronic systems integration, controlling experimental conditions, managing instrumentation and data acquisition, and supporting the safe and efficient execution of tests.

The selected candidate will ensure alignment with facility infrastructure and compliance with safety requirements, including the Design Safety Analysis (DSA).

A major focus will be on modernizing system components, control systems, and data acquisition capabilities to enhance performance and reliability.

This role requires close collaboration with scientists and subject matter experts (SMEs) for dynamic experimentation to enable broader experimental efforts.

The selected candidate will also contribute to technical documentation, system readiness, and milestone execution across programmatic and R&D activities.

This position will be filled at either the R&D Engineer 1 or R&D Engineer 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate.

Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.R&D Engineer 1 ($94,500 - $154,600)The successful candidate will:

Assist in the research, design, testing, analysis, verification, and validation of engineering and technology solutions to support programmatic work.

Assist in the development of new methods, techniques, or approaches to address critical technical problems.

Contribute to the completion of milestones associated with specific projects and directly contribute to the achievement of programmatic objectives.

Take responsibility for understanding tasks and own contributions to deliverables, set direction and goals for assigned tasks, and manage their own assignments.

Continuously develop technical expertise and knowledge within the discipline and acquire new skills in related disciplines.

Potentially contribute to the development of technical products such as journal papers and reports.

Assure safety and security compliance, maintain required training, and integrate safety and security into every task, including stopping work if it is unsafe or compromises security.

May receive general instructions and technical guidance, with objectives defined and both in-process work and results subject to supervisory review and may direct the work of junior staff.

R&D Engineer 2 ($104,100 - $172,200)In addition to the duties outlined at the lower level, the successful candidate will:

Develop new methods or techniques, using creativity in applying standard practices and procedures, which lead to new or improved capabilities.

Contribute to the development of technical products such as journal papers, reports, and intellectual property.

Set direction and goals for well-defined tasks involving more than one person, scope tasks within a project, and lead specific project tasks to meet scope, schedule and budget.

Develop mentoring skills to guide junior staff and peers in technical and professional growth.

Receive occasional oversight on specific objectives and complex problems, with completed work subject to supervisory review, and provide technical coordination and guidance to junior staff and peers as needed.

What You NeedMinimum Job Requirements:

Engineering Foundations: Basic understanding of engineering concepts, principles, and practices, demonstrated through experience in researching, designing, testing, analyzing, verifying, and validating engineering solutions.

Hands-On Project Experience: Familiarity with analysis or testing in areas such as electronics, signal analysis, control systems, data acquisition, and data analysis, gained through class projects and/or work experience.

Design Skills: Basic knowledge of engineering design principles.

Effective Communication: Proven ability to articulate ideas effectively through both oral and written communication.

Ability to obtain DOE Q Clearance.

Ability to obtain HRP.

Ability to become Glovebox Operator (GBO)

Ability to become Fissile Material Handler (FMH)

Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 2:At this level, in addition to what is outlined at the lower level, the successful candidate will also need the following:

Demonstrated experience designing, planning, and executing research and development and ability to act as an independently functioning skilled contributor for assigned projects.

Experience providing technical coordination and/or guidance to junior staff and peers.

Experience effectively networking with peers across the division and/or the Laboratory.

Education/Experience R&D Engineer 1: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution related to the occupation combined with 2 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and technical experience directly related to the occupation.Education/Experience R&D Engineer 2: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications:Candidates will be most competitive when they possess the following expertise:

Technical skills and knowledge: Proficient in SolidWorks and/or Creo, operation of analog and digital oscilloscopes, diagnosing and troubleshooting electronic circuits and systems, root cause analysis using oscilloscope measurements, experience with real-time and sampling scopes, lasers, or other specialized engineering software tools.

Programming: Computer programming skills to support engineering design, data acquisition, analysis, and machine learning projects.

Proven Leadership: Demonstrated leadership experience that encourages others to perform at their best.

Active Q clearance, HRP, GBO and/or FMH.

Note to Applicants: For full consideration, please submit a detailed cover letter and resume addressing how you meet the minimum requirements and desired skills for this role.Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM.

All work locations are at the discretion of management.Position Commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory.

If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader.

The position commitment for this position is 1 year.Where You Will WorkLocated in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security.

Our generous benefits package includes:

PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network

Dental and vision insurance

Free basic life and disability insurance

Paid childbirth and parental leave

Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)

Learning opportunities and tuition assistance

Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)

Onsite gyms and wellness programs

Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional DetailsDirective 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States.

Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level).

Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter.

This position requires a Q clearance.

and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances.

Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens.

Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances.

See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.HRP: This position is subject to the requirements of the DOE Human Reliability Program as specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulation, Part 712, §712.11.

These requirements include on going drug and alcohol testing, as well as periodic medical and psychological evaluations.426.2: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.

Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law.

A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular Position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory.

If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader.

Please refer to Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer.

All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process.

To request such an accommodation, please send an email to or call (505)-664-6947 opt.

3.

Required Skill Profession

Engineers