Cleared_ Senior/Principal Lead Mechanical Engineer - W76-1/-2 Weapon System Team, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 118,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (NM) is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer to drive critical projects supporting national security. You will own design, testing, and system integration for W76-1/-2 components across the full product lifecycle.

The role requires onsite work, deep mechanical engineering expertise, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams within the Nuclear Weapons community.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5 years of relevant experience or equivalent.
• Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent required.
• Ability to work onsite.
• Experience in mechanical engineering for nuclear weapon systems.
• Strong communication and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design and analysis of nuclear weapon systems.
• Conduct trade studies and develop optimized system solutions.
• Lead system integration and guide subject matter experts to inform design decisions.
• Plan environmental, performance, and qualification testing.
• Draft detailed test reports and present program status updates.

Skills

Lead project management

Mechanical design

System integration

Modeling and simulation

CREO

Test planning

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

5 years directly relevant experience

Tools

CREO

Testing instrumentation

Job description

Job ID: 699427

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

About Sandia

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

Are you a driven mechanical engineer ready to lead critical projects that directly support national security? Join the W76-1/-2 Weapon System Team as a Lead Mechanical Engineer and take ownership of complex engineering challenges across design, testing, and system integration.

In this role, you will lead the development and execution of test configurations, system integration efforts, modeling and simulation activities, and large-scale system tests for nuclear weapon components and subsystems. You will develop deep expertise in the detailed functions of W76-1/-2 nuclear weapon components and subsystems, working across the full product lifecycle, from concept and design through qualification, production, sustainment, and retirement.

This position offers the opportunity to exercise investigative freedom while collaborating broadly within the Nuclear Weapons community, allowing you to innovate and make a lasting impact at every stage of the weapon system lifecycle.

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

• Lead mechanical design and analysis of nuclear weapon systems and subsystem assemblies with precision and creativity.
• Apply engineering principles to conduct trade studies and develop optimized system solutions.
• Lead system integration efforts to ensure seamless subsystem and system performance within the W76-1/-2 weapon system
• Partner with modeling and simulation experts and guide subject matter experts to inform design decisions.
• Plan and lead environmental, performance, and qualification testing to validate nuclear weapon system integrity under normal, abnormal, and hostile conditions.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams across the W76-1/-2 family, including stockpile sustainment and fast-paced development programs such as JTA3, Mk4B, ALT 939, and D5LE2 to ensure mission success.
• Troubleshoot anomalies and resolve complex system issues through cross-disciplinary collaboration.
• Conduct peer reviews of design concepts and efforts across the Labs to ensure quality and innovation.
• Author detailed test reports and present program status updates to management and customers as part of the Annual Assessment process.

You will be part of a dynamic team dedicated to advancing the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of the nation's nuclear deterrent. Due to the nature of the 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 to start with the ability to participate, as requested, in random polygraph testing.

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D Mechanical Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience with mechanical engineering and product realization in the NNSA complex.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

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

• Self-motivated, positive, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple technical teams and with management.
• Proficiency in applying mechanical engineering principles to conduct trade studies and identify system solutions.
• In-depth knowledge of nuclear weapon systems, nuclear surety principles, and the unique safety and security requirements of nuclear weapons engineering.
• Familiarity with Sandia drawing and authorization systems, product development and qualification processes, testing and evaluation, as well as modeling and simulation.
• Experience with mechanical design tools such as CREO.
• Experience in test instrumentation, test planning, and defining test objectives and methods.
• Experience building test bodies and/or developing procedures for constructing test artifacts.
• Understanding of normal, abnormal, and hostile qualification, modeling, and testing environments.

About Our Team

We are responsible for the W76-0/-1/-2 nuclear weapon stockpile and the suite of activities that support annual assessment, surveillance, lifetime planning and associated development of the weapon systems. In addition to established stockpile work we actively collaborate on numerous development and qualification projects, including JTA3, Mk4B, ALT939 Integrated Surety Architecture, and D5LE2 programs. Production activities at KCNSC continue across several areas and require frequent coordination.

Additionally, we lead the development of testers and operational activities for hardware and provide engineering leadership for all W76-0/-1/-2 test body assembly and disassembly activities. We also interface with test and computational simulation organizations across the Labs and provide management of schedule and budget associated with executing the annual assessment process, on behalf of NNSA and our Navy customers.

Our responsibilities also extend to systems support for the UK Trident versions of the Mk4/Mk4A. Directed by the U.S. Navy and NNSA, this support includes assembly, disassembly, surveillance, deployment, and retirement activities.

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.