Cleared Senior/Principal R&D Systems Engineer - High Consequence Cryptographic Systems,...

Koitecc Solutions; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 118,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a driven R&D Systems Engineer to lead interactions with the NSA for certification of high-assurance cryptographic systems and to work with DoD customers. The role emphasizes requirements management, verification, and collaboration across electrical, mechanical, and software engineering teams.

You will develop and document procedures for operational use, manage certification documentation, and contribute to the Secure DoD/US national security mission while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five years of directly relevant experience or equivalent.
• Active DOE-Q or DoD TS clearance, with ability to obtain SCI clearance.
• Ability to obtain and maintain Sigma 15 access.

Responsibilities

• Drive development, decomposition, traceability, and validation of functional, interface, and security requirements.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of engineers to overcome technical and schedule challenges.
• Lead engagement with the NSA on security requirements and certification documentation (CDRL).
• Develop procedures for operational use of custom products with end users (e.g., USAF).
• Create requirements traceability reports, verification plans, and qualification plans.

Skills

Requirements derivation

Traceability

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Verbal communication

Written communication

NSA/DoD engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Graduate degree in Engineering (preferred)

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

Organization 8452, one of three departments dedicated to realizing Use Control and other high assurance, NSA certified systems for a variety of DOE and DoD customers, is seeking a driven and results-oriented R&D Systems Engineer to join their dynamic and tightly integrated team. In this role, the selected applicant will be leading interactions with the NSA to certify and deliver multiple high consequence cryptographic systems as part of a critical capability to the warfighter. You will also make vital contributions to requirements management, qualification, and verification in partnership with the PRT and Surety Engineering. This position is an opportunity to have immediate and critical impact on our Nations security and deterrence mission in collaboration with the US Air Force, NSA, KCNSC, and other stakeholders.

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

• Drive the development, decomposition, traceability, and validation of functional, interface, and security requirements
• Work with a diverse team of electrical, mechanical, and software engineers to overcome challenging technical, programmatic, and schedule challenges
• Lead engagement with the NSA on security requirements compliance along certification documentation delivery and adjudication, to include the ownership and development of certification CDRL documentation
• Collaborate with end users (e.g. USAF) to develop and document procedures for operational use of custom developed products
• Develop requirements traceability reports, verification/validation plans, qualification plans, and other documentation evidence to ensure our products fully meet requirements

In addition to the position described, this role provides opportunities to get involved with next-generation R&D work with the Surety Technologies portfolio and involvement in other areas of Use Control, including Coded Switches and Code Management Systems.

The position requires the ability to travel up to 25% to support the mission.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant will be required 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 US DOE-Q or DoD TS security clearance, with the ability to obtain and maintain an SCI clearance.
• The ability to obtain and maintain Sigma 15 access.

Qualifications We Desire

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

• Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
• Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
• 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:

• Demonstrated experience with systems engineering principles including requirements derivation, allocation, verification/validation, qualification, and production.
• Experience with NSA certification or other security/cybersecurity evaluation or certification processes such as the USSF Functional Security Engineering Team (FSET), Vulnerability Capability Unit (VCU), Production Security Verification Program (PSV), etc.
• Experience with fail-safe design analysis, fault tree analysis, pin-to-pin analysis, or other risk identification, assessment, and mitigation frameworks.
• Experience writing technical publications or similar end user operational manuals and/or training end users.
• Proficiency in technical writing and presentations.
• Understanding of the qualification process including functional and environmental testing.
• Strong customer-facing skills and a proven track record building trust with stakeholders.
• Active SCI clearance.

About Our Team

The High Assurance Product Realization group develops embedded and ground support equipment in support of National Security missions. We are a leader for high-assurance National Security hardware, utilizing current and advanced electronic hardware approaches, tools, and techniques in developing information assurance subsystems. These responsibilities span research, design, development, production liaison, and existing product evaluation for Use Control applications. Our staff develop custom electronic technologies in support of the DOE/DoD Use Control community and specialize in real-time embedded electronic design solutions with emphasis on security and reliability. The team also has a key role in the development, maturation, and deployment of advanced technologies for next-generation weapon systems and information assurance products.

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.