Cleared Senior Principal Computer Scientist - Space Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 118,000 - 236,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Affordable housing

Minimal traffic congestion

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Cleared Senior Principal Computer Scientist to join Space Systems onsite in New Mexico. The role focuses on architecting and delivering real‑time data processing software for national security and space applications.

You will work on agile teams with engineers, scientists, and customers to design, develop, test, and deploy cutting‑edge solutions. The ideal candidate has a strong background in C++, Java, Python, and modern software practices, with DOE Q

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline with at least five years of directly relevant experience or equivalent mix of education and experience.
• Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent and the ability to obtain an SCI.
• Strong software development background with object‑oriented languages and modern practices.

Responsibilities

• Work on Agile teams developing software for real‑time data processing and remote sensing.
• Collaborate with architects, developers, and customers to define requirements and deliver scalable software.
• Lead design, development, testing, and deployment of advanced data processing systems.
• Apply CI/CD practices and modern tools to deliver robust software solutions.

Skills

C++

Java

Python

CI/CD tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Graduate degree in Computer Science

Tools

Docker

Job description

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Cleared Senior Principal Computer Scientist - Space Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting‑edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide

Extraordinary co‑workers

Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

Career advancement and enrichment opportunities

Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten‑hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part‑time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)

Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World‑changing technologies. Life‑changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

For over 70 years, Sandia National Laboratories has defined and brought into existence some of the most importance scientific and engineering advances in global security. Our 15,000 scientists, engineers, technicians, and support personnel work daily on projects that ensure that a peaceful and prosperous world is possible.

Our Mission: To render exceptional service in the national interest, is more than a statement of values, it defines our commitment to the nation and the world to embrace a diverse and inclusive culture that sees only opportunities for collaboration, not boundaries, and to leverage that ethos to advance the United States' position as global leader and innovator.

To support this mission, we are seeking multiple experienced Computer Science professionals to join highly productive teams that research and develop innovative solutions to a broad spectrum of problems of national importance. In this role, you will collaborate in an innovating environment to architect, design, develop, test, and deploy modern data processing software for sophisticated, real‑time decision support systems!

On any given day, you may be called on to:

Work on an Agile team developing software systems addressing exciting remote sensing problems, including the capture, processing, exploitation, visualization, and distribution of real‑time satellite sensor data

Collaborate with architects, developers, technical leads, customers, and end users to collect requirements, design solutions, and deliver extensible software applications

Analyze existing systems and develop new solutions that push the state of what is possible

Propose and lead image processing and data‑centric research and development projects

Use debugging tools, static analysis tools, test harnesses, and other capabilities to address sophisticated software applications and libraries

Engage with diverse specialists in areas such as data fusion, signal and image processing, analytics, cloud computing, machine learning, modeling and simulation, service architectures, data management and visualization, and pattern recognition

Our work is broad in character - much like the missions we serve - and we welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds and work experiences in fields including, but not limited to, software engineering (front and back end), data engineering, data science, software test engineering, and other specialties. We also strongly encourage candidates with backgrounds in other areas of the sciences and engineering with significant software development experience to apply.

Due to the nature of this work the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range:

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require:

A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.

Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent and the ability to obtain an SCI.

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D, S&E Computer Science candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

Graduate degree in Computer Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).

Demonstrated software development skills and familiarity with modern software development practices and tools (e.g., Agile).

Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams, and a passion to improve and expand technical skills.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

Experience with object‑oriented software development in C++, Java, or Python.

Experience using a subset of the following: system engineering, hardware and software architecture, distributed system design, data exploitation/mining/fusion algorithms, digital signal processing, image processing, optical systems, command and control systems, numerical analysis, modeling and simulation, relational/object/geographic database technologies, user interfaces, scientific data visualization, web service technologies, and multi‑core/GPU/parallel computing

Proficiency in a subset of the following: requirements capture, software modeling using UML, systems‑level software testing, high consequence anomaly resolution, documentation and training, information assurance, and deployment of delivered systems

Experience using CI/CD tools such as Maven, Gradle, Jenkins, GitLab, GitHub, or Docker.

Desire and ability to grow technical capabilities, programs, and staff.

Active SCI.

About Our Team:

Our team designs and develops sophisticated data processing systems and analytical applications that enable some of our nation's most compelling nonproliferation and national security missions. Our mission is to design, engineer, build, deploy and improve critical systems that transform data into decisions. Our systems support a range of applications including remote and in‑situ sensing systems; satellite communications and control; distributed computing and analysis; real‑time data collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination; and mission engineering and analysis. Our team's deep domain and technical experience, coupled with an operational mindset builds distinct and extraordinary capabilities for our nation and the people who put their lives on the line to protect it.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia 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 for employment need to be able to maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. 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.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are 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.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on‑site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

• Affordable housing, reasonable cost of living
• Minimal traffic congestion compared to larger cities