Early Career Explosives Engineer, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 102,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM is seeking an early career R&D S&E Mechanical Engineer to contribute to design, qualification, and production of explosive components for national security programs. You will develop concepts, build prototypes, and create test plans while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams on safety, performance, and shelf-life considerations.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, the ability to obtain a DOE Q clearance, and onsite

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop design concepts for explosive components and maturation activities.
• Define product interfaces and requirements regarding performance and safety.
• Build prototype explosive components using internal/external capabilities.
• Develop and execute test plans and analyze results.
• Collaborate with experimentalists and modelers to assess performance and shelf-life.
• Create and maintain product definitions including drawings and specs.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Prototype development

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

Creo

SolidWorks

GD&T knowledge

Machine learning basics

Job description

Location: Albuquerque, NM

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

We are seeking an early career R&D S&E, Mechanical Engineering staff member to contribute to Design Agency (DA) and Production Agency (PA) activities related to the technology maturation, design, development, qualification, production, and surveillance of explosive components needed for Nuclear Deterrent (ND) and Strategic Partnership Program (SPP) projects.

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

• Support the development and evaluation of new design concepts for emerging explosive component applications, including technology maturation activities
• Provide input on product interface and requirements negotiations related to performance, safety, and shelf-life considerations
• Build prototype and development explosive components using internal and external manufacturing capabilities
• Develop test plans, execute tests, and analyze test results to inform design decisions, evaluate trade spaces, and/or obtain design qualification evidence
• Team with experimentalists and modelers to characterize performance, safety, and/or shelf-life of explosive components
• Develop and maintain product definition, including models, drawings, and specifications that reflect design intent
• Develop processes for manufacturing product that meets design intent
• Support problem solving activities, including failure investigations, surveillance problems, and production challenges (e.g., yield issues and disposition of nonconforming product)

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range

$102,400 - $199,700

*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, 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
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

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:

• Proven problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Experience with developing test plans, executing tests, and evaluating results
• Experience with 3D solid modeling software (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks)
• Experience with developing and interpreting engineering drawings, including familiarity with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
• Familiarity with machine learning, digital engineering tools, and/or artificial intelligence engineering tools
• Experience with prototyping (including additive manufacturing) and manufacturing

About Our Team

The Explosive Technologies Group 7450 serves as the DA and PA for a broad set of explosive components for ND systems and SPP national security applications. These components include explosive timers, detonators, igniters, actuators, rocket motors, gas generators, indicators, piston motors, primers, command disable devices, and more. We support all stages of the component life cycle: research and development, technology maturation, requirements development, design, qualification, production, surveillance, and dismantlement. The ETG operates the Explosive Components Facility (ECF; Building 905), which includes over 100 offices and over 30 labs with capabilities that include explosive material synthesis and analysis, additive manufacturing, high-speed imaging, advanced diagnostics, vapor deposition, and component prototyping, along with testing and evaluation of explosive materials, components, and assemblies. In addition, the ETG operates the newly completed (July 2026) Energetic Manufacturing Science and Technology Building 1020, which features the capability to manufacture development and production pedigree components of our core products. Stated more simply, our Mission is to provide Explosive Solutions that Secure the Nation.

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

Sandia is required by DOE 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 obtain and 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.