Cleared Senior/Principal Microwave & Sensor Engineer - Directed Energy, Onsite

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

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Flexible work arrangements (telecommu-

Comprehensive medical and retirement

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM seeks an experienced R&D Microwave & Sensor Engineer to design and test RF systems, antennas, and EM components for high-power applications. You will collaborate with DOE/DoW teams and develop modeling tools for directed energy projects.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 5 years of relevant experience and a DOE Q clearance or equivalent.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field with five years of directly relevant experience
• Current DOE Q security clearance or equivalent to start
• Willingness to work onsite

Responsibilities

• Design and implement RF systems, subsystems, and components from UHF through W-band
• Design and test microwave systems including antennas
• Interact with DOE and DoW communities to understand technology trends and customer needs
• Develop concepts for offensive directed energy capabilities and modeling tools
• Collaborate with the business development team to identify funding opportunities and develop proposals

Skills

RF design

Antenna design

EM testing

RF diagnostics

Python

MATLAB

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or related field (preferred)

Tools

HFSS

CST Studio Suite

MAXWELL

FEKO

PSpice

Xyce

MATLAB

Python

LabVIEW

SolidWorks

MS Office

Job description

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 passionate about your work and dream of using innovative facilities to explore solutions? Would you like to join a dynamic team that solves significant issues for our nation's security? If so, our team is seeking a motivated R&D Microwave & Sensor Engineer to join the team!

The selected candidate will work on Radio Frequency (RF) projects in RF design and testing, antenna design and testing, and electromagnetic (EM) analysis. Projects will also include designing systems and components for High Power Microwave (HPM) applications as well as evaluating the effectiveness of HPM sources and vulnerabilities of systems to an HPM attack.

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

• Design and implement RF systems, subsystems, and components from UHF through W-band.
• Design and test microwave systems including antennas.
• Having frequent interactions with the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of War (DoW) communities to understand technology trends, customer needs, and linking to the expertise within SNL which can provide solutions.
• Developing concepts for offensive directed energy capabilities as well as modelling tools for the use of these technologies.
• Bringing in new projects to the organization through working with the business development team to identify funding opportunities and develop proposals.

*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.
• Current DOE Q security clearance or equivalent required to start.

Qualifications We Desire

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

• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Laboratory skills and knowledge of RF and digital test equipment.
• Knowledge of RF, Digital Communications, Electronic Warfare, and Cyber Security systems and principles.
• Ability to work successfully in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, teaming environment.

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

• Experience in antenna design, RF diagnostics and instrumentation, EM testing, and data analysis in the RF and microwave frequency range (100 MHz through 100 GHz).
• Experience with analog and digital circuit design for controls.
• Experience with the following software tools: electromagnetic codes (HFSS, CST, Maxwell, FEKO, etc.), circuit codes (PSpice, Xyce, AST, etc.), MATLAB, Python or Mathematica, LabVIEW,
• olidWorks, and MS Office products.
• Experience measuring shielding effectiveness.
• Experience with electronic warfare to include attacks on hardware or software (cyber).
• A self-starter able to adapt to fast-paced, DoW/IC customer-focused operations, with an emphasis on meeting deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Outstanding verbal and written skills, including the ability to develop and present briefings that are clear and compelling.
• An active DOE Q-level security clearance and an active SCI-level Clearance; or other equivalent active security clearance such as DOW Top Secret and SCI-level Clearance.

About Our Team

The Directed Energy Enterprise consists of two multi-disciplinary departments. These departments are Directed Energy Missions and Directed Energy Applications and Assessments. Directed Energy Missions focuses on compact pulsed power, HPM systems, Pulsed Lasers, Particle Beams and RF characterization. Directed Energy Applications and Assessments focuses on directed energy (HPM and laser) applications, antennas, prototyping, EM hardening and special projects.

Work environments range from laboratory work in innovative facilities to field work at local and remote test sites. Work products range from studies and analyses to delivery of beyond-state-of-the-art hardware to support our customer base to move Directed Energy technologies to the war-fighter.

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.