Cognizant Electrical System Engineer

Strategic Management Solutions, LLC (SMSI); Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Strategic Management Solutions, LLC (SMSI) seeks a Cognizant Electrical System Engineer (CSE) at LANL to lead electrical design for Vital Safety Systems in the WETF. You will be the technical authority for assigned systems, maintain baselines and master equipment lists, review design packages, and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance.

The ideal candidate has deep experience with nuclear facility engineering, DOE/NNSA codes, and conducts

Qualifications

• Broad-based engineering experience with electrical design for facilities.
• Knowledge of NEC, NFPA, IEEE and related codes.
• Ability to mentor early career engineers.
• Experience with DOE/NNSA complex codes, standards and criteria.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level engineering expertise and mentor staff.
• Develop and approve conceptual and detailed designs.
• Evaluate condition of facilities and infrastructure.
• Prepare cost estimates for design and construction.
• Ensure designs meet codes and customer expectations.
• Lead portions of nuclear facility engineering projects or teams.

Skills

Electrical design

Codes & standards

Mentor engineers

DOE/NNSA knowledge

Project engineering

Communication

Configuration management

Nuclear facility experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

12 years of practical work experience

Master's degree (desirable)

Job description

Strategic Management Solutions, LLC (SMSI) provides expert management consulting, program and project management, and technical consulting services to government and private-sector clients. SMSI has built a strong reputation for client-focused performance, delivering innovative solutions and measurable results that help clients achieve their goals, meet critical commitments, and successfully reach key milestones.

Job Summary

SMSI is seeking a full-time Cognizant Electrical System Engineer (CSE) to support Vital Safety Systems at the Weapons Engineering Tritium Facility (WETF) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). WETF is part of LANL’s Weapons Facilities Operations (WFO) portfolio, which works closely with nuclear weapons organizations to develop, maintain, and ensure the reliability of the nation’s weapons stockpile. In this role, you will serve as the technical authority and primary source of expertise for assigned electrical systems and components, providing engineering support to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant facility operations. You will be responsible for maintaining system integrity, managing technical configurations, and supporting engineering activities across complex, high-consequence nuclear facilities. Key responsibilities include maintaining the technical baseline and Master Equipment List for assigned systems and facilities; reviewing and concurring with design modification packages at the request of the Facility Design Authority Representative (FDAR); and evaluating, troubleshooting, maintaining, and replacing facility support equipment. You will also coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering teams, support configuration management activities, and serve as a technical interface for existing facility systems and components. The ideal candidate will apply broad, in-depth knowledge of Department of Energy (DOE) orders, nuclear safety requirements, and national consensus codes to develop sound engineering solutions that uphold the highest standards of safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance. You will also contribute to project and design activities, guide system performance, and support engineering strategies that enable mission success.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior-level engineering expertise and mentor junior engineering staff
• Serve as a key representative of the Engineering Services Division, ensuring effective and efficient project execution
• Develop and approve conceptual and detailed designs, ensuring third party deliverables meet code requirements and customer expectations
• Evaluate the condition of existing facilities and infrastructure systems
• Apply sound engineering judgment to solve complex technical challenges
• Leverage experience to prepare accurate and reliable cost estimates for customers
• Define and develop scopes of work for both internally and externally executed design projects
• Produce high-quality, high-level design deliverables
• Comply with LANL Engineering Standards, Conduct of Engineering requirements, and all applicable codes and standards
• Support organizational initiatives that enhance design quality and business practices
• Qualify as a Cognizant System Engineer (CSE) at a premier national scientific laboratory
• Assess, maintain, and upgrade WETF systems to meet facility operations and programmatic requirements
• Serve as the system owner’s representative, providing support in Configuration Management, Technical Support Operations and Maintenance, System Health and Performance Monitoring, and Technical Support to Programs and Projects
• Leads in research, assembles, and/or evaluates information or data regarding nuclear facility practices or applicable regulatory changes affecting nuclear facility engineering policies or programs; recommends sound, practical solutions to moderately complex issues
• Recognized as a contributing figure for nuclear facility engineering issues, communicating with stakeholders across most areas of the project
• Expected to lead significant portions of nuclear facility engineering projects or teams in support of meeting mission deliverables
• Identifies and/or leads activities within electrical engineering in support of facility design, operation and maintenance
• Recognized as a coordinating figure and subject-matter expert (SME), helping to ensure third-party designs are code-compliant and meet our customers’ 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 the Electrical design team
• Assist your Team Lead with work planning, staffing projections and hiring
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/ Abilities

• Demonstrated broad-based engineering experience with projects involving electrical design for new facilities and facility modifications
• Work experience with engineering principles, codes, and standards (NEC, NFPA, IEEE, etc.)
• Work experience in the development of engineering drawings, specifications, calculations, test and inspection plans (TIPs), and statements of special inspection (SSIs)
• Work experience in power system engineering, fault current analysis, voltage drop calculations, protection coordination studies, incident energy studies, and equipment sizing
• Work experience in scoping complex projects to produce an estimate of engineering costs for both design and construction activities
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of industry, regulatory, or Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) complex codes, standards, and criteria pertinent to the engineering discipline
• Demonstrated ability to mentor early career engineers
• Demonstrated ability to articulate concepts through various oral and written communication media, using a diverse range of technical and business acumen
• Assist in defining maintenance requirements involving corrective maintenance and the tracking and trending of system performance
• Review design outputs for impact to technical baseline and master equipment lists
• Experience in a nuclear facility environment
• Working knowledge of industry, regulatory, or Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) complex codes, standards, and criteria pertinent to the engineering discipline
• Ability to articulate concepts through various oral and written communication media, using a diverse range of technical and business acumen
• Experience performing system engineering, design engineering, or project engineering functions within complex facility environments
• Ability to manage configuration, operability, and performance of assigned systems using a graded and risk informed approach

Desired Skills

• Background in Naval Nuclear is a plus
• For Nuclear Facilities Engineer: Current NCEES Professional Engineering License in Electrical Engineering (any US State)
• Design experience in nuclear, accelerator or industrial facility operations
• Master's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university
• Knowledge of DOE and LANL Engineering Standards and Conduct of Engineering principles and procedures
• 12 years of experience leading a design team and/or organization
• 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
• 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
• Current registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) is highly desirable

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited college or university and a minimum of 12 years of practical work experience necessary to perform the responsibilities outlined above. Advanced engineering or technical degree is highly desired.

Note: This position will be filled and leveled depending on the skills and/or experience of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level. As a part of the cognizant system engineering team, systems you support are needed to operate leading research and development Hazard Category 2 nuclear facility.

Strategic Management Solutions, LLC (SMSI) is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.