Cognizant Mechanical System Engineer (Mechanical Nuclear Facilities Engineer 1/2)

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 96,600 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance for locations</n

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with matching

Tuition assistance

Onsite gyms and wellness programs

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM seeks a Nuclear Facilities Engineer Level 1 or Level 2 to support Vital Safety Systems at the WETF. You will operate as a Cognizant Mechanical System Engineer, managing technical baselines, reviewing designs, and coordinating with multiple disciplines.

Level 1 requires 2 years of experience with a BS in Engineering; Level 2 requires 3 years and PE registration is desirable. DOE/DOE‑NNSA standards and CoE compliance are central to daily tasks.

Qualifications

• Broad-based engineering experience with projects involving new facility design and facility modifications.
• Experience developing engineering drawings, specifications, calculations, TIPs, and SSIs.
• Knowledge of nuclear facility engineering in areas such as criticality safety analysis, safety basis, system engineering, project engineering, or design engineering.
• Strong oral and written communication skills accompanied by technical and business acumen.
• Working knowledge of industry, regulatory, or DOE/NNSA standards and criteria relevant to the discipline.

Responsibilities

• Qualify as a Cognizant System Engineer (CSE) at LANL.
• Assess, maintain, and upgrade systems at WETF to support facility operations and programmatic needs.
• Represent Engineering Services Division as a leader in effective and efficient project execution.
• Follow LANL Conduct of Engineering (CoE) Program and related standards and procedures.
• Provide control and maintenance of the technical baseline of facility equipment.
• Review and approve conceptual and detailed designs that meet third-party code compliance and customer needs.
• Assess condition of existing facilities and infrastructure systems.
• Apply engineering judgement to challenges and scope both internal and external design projects.
• Review high-level design deliverables including drawings, specifications, TIPs, SSIs, and calculations.
• Control and maintain the master equipment list (MEL) for assigned facilities.
• Perform regular facility system walkdowns and system health reports.

Skills

Broad engineering experience

Engineering drawings

Nuclear facility engineering knowledge

DOE/NNSA standards knowledge

Strong communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering

PE registration desirable

Job description

What You Will Do

As a Nuclear Facilities Engineer with Engineering Services, you will function as a Cognizant Mechanical System Engineer (CSE) assigned to Vital Safety Systems at the Weapons Engineering Tritium Facility (WETF). WETF is part of LANL’s Weapons Facilities Operations (WFO) which works with nuclear weapons R&D groups to develop and maintain the nation’s weapons stockpile. The CSE serves as the best-integrated source of expert knowledge for a given system or component in the assigned facilities and is responsible for a wide range of support activities. Responsibilities include controlling and maintaining the technical baseline and master equipment list of the assigned systems, reviewing and approving design modification outputs, evaluating, maintaining, troubleshooting, and replacing facility support equipment, coordinating with multiple disciplines, and supporting configuration management of assigned systems.

Nuclear Facilities Engineer Level 1

Salary Range: $96,600 – $158,000

• Qualify as a Cognizant System Engineer (CSE) at a nationally recognized scientific laboratory
• Assess, maintain, and upgrade systems at WETF to support facility operations and programmatic needs
• Represent Engineering Services Division as a leader in effective and efficient project execution
• Follow the LANL Conduct of Engineering (CoE) Program and all related standards and procedures
• Provide control and maintenance of the technical baseline of facility equipment
• Review and approve conceptual and detailed designs that meet third‑party code compliance and customer needs
• Assess condition of existing facilities and infrastructure systems
• Apply engineering judgement to challenges and scope both internal and external design projects
• Review high‑level design deliverables including drawings, specifications, test and inspection plans (TIPs), statements of special inspections (SSIs), and calculations
• Control and maintain the master equipment list (MEL) for assigned facilities
• Perform regular facility system walkdowns and system health reports
• Provide information for preventative maintenance schedules and review incident/workday drawings (IWDs)

Nuclear Facilities Engineer Level 2

Salary Range: $106,400 – $176,000

• All Level 1 responsibilities plus
• Develop mentoring and training skills for junior staff
• Define requirements for purchasing technical goods and services that require additional nuclear facility quality assurance
• Implement project plans for design, installation, commissioning, or operation of nuclear facility systems
• Perform assignments that are occasionally self‑initiated and often self‑supervised
• Control and maintain the master equipment list (MEL) for assigned systems

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements

• Broad‑based engineering experience with projects involving new facility design and facility modifications
• Experience developing engineering drawings, specifications, calculations, test and inspection plans (TIPs), and SSIs
• Knowledge of nuclear facility engineering in areas such as criticality safety analysis, safety basis, system engineering, project engineering, or design engineering
• Knowledge of nuclear facility engineering principles, procedures, guides, standards, and administrative practices
• Working knowledge of industry, regulatory, or DOE/NNSA standards and criteria relevant to the discipline
• Strong oral and written communication skills accompanied by technical and business acumen

Nuclear Facilities Engineer 2 Additional Requirements

• Broad or unique knowledge of nuclear facility engineering systems, processes, calculations, and technology‑aided methods
• Knowledge of work planning and control methods specific to nuclear facility engineering
• Knowledge of engineering maintenance techniques and construction methodologies
• Thorough knowledge of DOE/NNSA complex codes, standards, and criteria for this discipline

Education / Experience

• Level 1: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and 2 years of practical work experience; advanced or technical degree desirable; current EIT registration desirable.
• Level 2: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering and 3 years of practical work experience; advanced or technical degree desirable; current PE registration desirable.

The position is subject to DOE Order 426.2, which establishes entry‑level requirements including BS degree, 2 years of job‑related experience, and 1 year of non‑reactor nuclear experience for technical support personnel who perform work independently at nuclear facilities.

Desired Qualifications

• Engineering degree and/or experience with facility engineering or systems
• Facility operations or engineering experience within a nuclear facility
• Design experience in nuclear, accelerator, or industrial facility operations
• Knowledge of DOE and LANL Engineering Standards and Conduct of Engineering Principles and Procedures

Work Location

Los Alamos, NM. The position is onsite. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Benefits

• PPO or HDHP medical insurance with a nationwide network
• Dental and vision coverage
• Basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• 401(k) with 6% matching and 3.5% annual growth at 100% of contribution
• Tuition assistance and learning opportunities
• Flexible schedules and PTO/holidays
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Relocation assistance for locations beyond a 50‑mile radius

Clearance

Position requires a Q clearance. Applicants must be U.S. citizens (or eligible for clearance under federal statutes). Clearance is obtained through a federal background investigation.

New‑Employment Drug Test

Successful applicants must complete a new‑employment drug test. A positive test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, regardless of prior use.

Equal Opportunity

Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal‑opportunity employer. Employment practices are based on qualification and merit without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by law. The Laboratory is committed to accessibility and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request.