Cleared Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - EMSAT Technical Manufacturing Lead, Onsite

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

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Flexible work arrangements

Generous vacation

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking an experienced Cleared Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer to lead manufacturing process development at the EMSAT facility. You will oversee equipment qualification, process validation, and documentation, while mentoring engineers and coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality, cost-effective production.

Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree (advanced degree preferred) and a DOE Q clearance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and five years of directly relevant experience, or equivalent combination demonstrating independent R&D capability.
• Active DOE Q clearance required to start.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of manufacturing processes for EMSAT.
• Oversee equipment qualification and documentation to meet design requirements.
• Manage startup and qualification of multiple product lines.
• Analyze manufacturing performance using KPIs (yield, tact time, variance).
• Provide DFx guidance to design and production teams.

Skills

Communication skills

Project planning

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Oracle

Prime

ARAS

EIMS

Job description

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Cleared Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - EMSAT Technical Manufacturing Lead, 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:

We are seeking an experienced R&D Mechanical Engineer to lead the overarching development of manufacturing processes at Sandia's Explosives Manufacturing Science and Technology facility (EMSAT). Your primary role will consist of providing lead engineering expertise in the startup and development of multiple flexible product lines to demonstrate manufacturing capability across several components. This includes overseeing the qualification of all equipment, ensuring the timely completion of manufacturing operations throughout proof‑of‑concept builds, ensuring execution of appropriate supporting engineering documentation, and providing technical training and mentorship. You will be working in a flexible team environment with other personnel to apply engineering concepts and best practices to the design, development, analysis, and testing of processes and equipment that meet design requirements on schedule and budget in support of key deliverables. Processes within our manufacturing area include, but are not limited to cleaning, laser welding, resistance welding, leak testing, powder pressing, encapsulation, soldering, glass‑to‑metal sealing, thin film deposition, mechanical/electrical measurements, and visual inspections.

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

Plan, conceive, conduct, and manage process development for energetic components in a manufacturing environment

Direct systematic studies to characterize processes with the intent of determining the ideal process equipment, tools, and parameters that will meet design requirements with high yield and high quality

Manage and maintain manufacturing equipment and operational technology ensuring continuous, predictable operation

Analyze the performance of manufacturing processes using key performance indicators such as yield, variance, and tact time

Use manufacturing process results and data to provide objective Design for Manufacturability advice to engineers from both the Design and Production Agencies.

Create new understanding and capabilities by using the scientific method: hypothesis, test, and evaluation techniques; critical review; or similar engineering research and development methods

Use engineering principles to research, design, or develop tooling, instruments, machines, experiments, processes, systems, theories, and technologies

Lead and support formal problem‑solving efforts as needed to address manufacturing anomalies and to maintain high‑rigor, high‑quality processes

Lead the development of work instructions and operating procedures to support the product lines under your purview

Lead or participate in new process and equipment development and qualification

Assist with the operational startup of a new facility

Utilize effective teaming skills

Partner across organizational boundaries

Demonstrate critical thinking skills and challenge the status quo to facilitate the resolution of complex problems

Mentor and train engineers on equipment qualification, process development, and the product realization lifecycle

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


• An active DOE Q clearance, or equivalent is required to start

Qualifications We Desire:

• The ideal R&D S&E 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:


• Previous product/process engineering experience


• Experience in gathering, analysis, and presentation of technical data for problem solving and decision making


• Basic knowledge and/or exposure to Lean/Six Sigma and continuous improvement concepts and methodologies


• Experience in the use of Oracle, Prime, ARAS and EIMS tools deployed at Sandia Labs


• Excellent project planning and execution capabilities


• Passion for mentoring others to promote development


• Interest in leveraging engineering expertise in a manufacturing environment

About Our Team:

The Explosive Component Operations Science and Technology department (7457) produces energetic components that support deliverables for Sandia's nuclear deterrence mission. We also provide mission-enabling support to all of 7450, while innovating energetic component processes and production capabilities for the organization. We are responsible for production planning, product pre‑acceptance, and component manufacturing. We oversee the construction and operations of the Energetics Manufacturing Science and Technology (EMSAT) facility.

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 matters 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