Cognizant Chemical/I&C System Engineer (Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3/4)

Los Alamos National Security LLC; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 128,000 - 267,000; Full time

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a Cognizant System Engineer to join the Engineering Services Division. The role supports the Weapons Facilities Operations and serves as the technical authority for vital safety systems at WETF, across a broad lifecycle from design to operation.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, apply DOE orders and industry standards, and mentor junior engineers while ensuring safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance in a high-consequence facility

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years applying engineering principles, industry codes, standards.
• Minimum 6 years developing engineering deliverables (calculations, specifications, drawings, technical reports, testing documentation, inspection plans).
• Minimum 6 years developing project scopes and cost estimates for design/construction activities.
• Broad-based engineering experience supporting facility systems, process systems, instrumentation & controls engineering, or facility modifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior engineering expertise and mentoring to junior engineers.
• Represent the Engineering Services Division in project execution and technical coordination.
• Develop and review conceptual and detailed engineering designs to ensure technical adequacy and compliance with applicable codes and standards.
• Assess the condition and performance of facility systems and infrastructure.
• Apply sound engineering judgment to resolve complex technical challenges.
• Develop engineering cost estimates and project scopes.
• Produce engineering design deliverables and technical documentation.
• Adhere to LANL Engineering Standards, COE requirements, and applicable industry codes and standards.
• Support organizational initiatives that improve engineering and business practices.
• Qualify as a Cognizant System Engineer (CSE).
• Assess, maintain, and upgrade facility systems supporting WETF operations and mission needs.
• Support Configuration Management, Technical Support to Operations and Maintenance, System Health and Performance Monitoring, and Technical Support to Programs and Projects.
• Research, evaluate, and implement engineering solutions in response to changes in nuclear facility practices, regulations, and standards.
• Lead portions of engineering projects and multidisciplinary technical teams supporting mission deliverables.
• Identify and lead engineering activities within the assigned discipline in support of facility design, operations, maintenance, and system reliability.

Skills

System engineering

Nuclear facilities

DOE/NNSA knowledge

Configuration management

Project leadership

Mentoring juniors

Communication skills

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Job description

What You Will Do

Are you a talented and driven engineer looking to develop, maintain, and apply a diverse set of engineering capabilities to provide innovative engineering solutions? Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a skilled professional to join our Engineering Services (ES) Division as a Cognizant System Engineer. This position supports the Weapons Engineering Tritium Facility (WETF) nuclear facility and serves as system owner of multiple accredited facility systems. As a part of the cognizant system engineering team, systems you support are needed to operate a leading research and development Hazard Category 2 nuclear facility.

As a vital member of the ES-DO team you will contribute to the implementation of the Conduct of Engineering (COE) program at LANL in support of systems, structure and component modifications and new installations, and will support nuclear, accelerator or non-nuclear facilities across 38 square miles of the Laboratory. If you're eager to support the Laboratory's scientific and national security mission, this opportunity is for you!

Note: This position will be filled at either the Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3 or 4 level depending on the skills and/or experience of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3 ($128,000-$215,900)

As a Nuclear Facilities Engineer with Engineering Services, you will function as a Cognizant System Engineer (CSE) assigned to vital safety systems at WETF. WETF is part of the Weapons Facilities Operations (WFO) organization, which supports the nation's nuclear weapons research, development, and stockpile modernization mission.

The CSE serves as the primary technical authority for assigned facility systems and components and is responsible for maintaining system performance, technical baseline, and configuration throughout the system lifecycle. The CSE provides technical support for facility operations, maintenance, design modifications, and system upgrades while coordinating with multidisciplinary engineering teams.

You will apply broad, in-depth knowledge of DOE Orders, nuclear safety requirements, and national consensus codes to develop engineering solutions that uphold the highest standards of safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. Engineers at this level serve as technical authorities, lead portions of project and design work, guide system performance, and contribute to engineering strategies that ensure mission execution across complex, high-consequence facilities.

The level 3 role serves as a senior engineer and includes the following job opportunities:

• Provide senior engineering expertise and mentoring to junior engineers
• Represent the Engineering Services Division in project execution and technical coordination
• Develop and review conceptual and detailed engineering designs to ensure technical adequacy and compliance with applicable codes and standards
• Assess the condition and performance of facility systems and infrastructure
• Apply sound engineering judgment to resolve complex technical challenges
• Develop engineering cost estimates and project scopes
• Produce engineering design deliverables and technical documentation
• Adhere to LANL Engineering Standards, Conduct of Engineering requirements, and applicable industry codes and standards
• Support organizational initiatives that improve engineering and business practices
• Qualify as a Cognizant System Engineer (CSE)
• Assess, maintain, and upgrade facility systems supporting WETF operations and mission needs
• Support Configuration Management, Technical Support to Operations and Maintenance, System Health and Performance Monitoring, and Technical Support to Programs and Projects
• Research, evaluate, and implement engineering solutions in response to changes in nuclear facility practices, regulations, and standards
• Lead portions of engineering projects and multidisciplinary technical teams supporting mission deliverables
• Identify and lead engineering activities within the assigned engineering discipline in support of facility design, operations, maintenance, and system reliability

Nuclear Facilities Engineer Level 4 ($153,600 -$266,500)

In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, in this level the selected candidate identifies and/or leads activities within a nuclear facility engineering discipline, demonstrating initiative, technical depth, and leadership in complex project environments. The candidate must be able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team, applying broad and diversified knowledge of nuclear facility engineering principles and practices in the preparation and execution of nuclear facility engineering deliverables. This includes utilizing nuclear engineering technology to accomplish work safely and efficiently while continuously improving engineering and work processes to meet evolving customer and mission needs. The ideal candidate will bring a strong technical foundation, sound judgment, and the ability to integrate requirements across multiple systems and disciplines to ensure safe, compliant, and reliable facility operations.

• Recognized as a coordinating figure and subject-matter-expert (SME), helping to ensure third-party designs are code-compliant and meet our customer's needs
• Use broad and/or unique knowledge and skills to contribute to improvement of LANL's Engineering Standards
• Use independent and wide latitude judgment in determining course of action to accomplish objectives
• Facilitate technical growth of engineering staff
• Assist your Team Lead with work planning, staffing projections and hiring

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements: Experience Requirements

• Minimum 6 years applying engineering principles, industry codes, standards, and best practices
• Minimum 6 years developing engineering deliverables (calculations, specifications, drawings, technical reports, testing documentation, inspection plans)
• Minimum 6 years developing project scopes and cost estimates for design/construction activities
• Broad-based engineering experience supporting facility systems, process systems, instrumentation & control systems, or facility modifications

Technical Domain Expertise

• System engineering, design engineering, process engineering, instrumentation & controls engineering, or project engineering in complex facilities
• System performance evaluation, equipment troubleshooting, and implementing engineering improvements
• Maintenance support (corrective maintenance planning, system performance monitoring, reliability improvements)
• System management using graded, risk-informed approaches emphasizing configuration management, operability, reliability, and system health

Industry & Regulatory Knowledge

• Knowledge of applicable industry and regulatory codes/standards
• Knowledge of DOE/NNSA (Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration) requirements
• Experience in nuclear, processing, industrial manufacturing, or other highly regulated facility environments

Change & Configuration Management

• Review engineering changes for impacts to system configuration, technical baseline, and equipment documentation
• Configuration management and maintaining technical baselines

Leadership & Communication

• Ability to mentor early-career engineers
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to diverse audiences

Additional Job Requirements for Nuclear Facilities Engineer 4:

• Minimum 12 years of experience leading a design team and/or organization
• Minimum 12 years of expertise in industry, regulatory, or Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) complex codes, standards, and criteria pertinent to your engineering discipline
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in engineering work planning, budgeting, and design coordination
• Demonstrated broad and/or unique expert knowledge of engineering systems and calculations, applications of engineering methods, and application technology aided engineering tools to conventional and non-conventional facility and operations-based engineering problems

Education/Experience at Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3:

Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering