Electrical Engineer (R&D Engineer 2 or 3)

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 106,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking an experienced R&D Engineer 2/3 to join the RF Engineering group at the LANSCE facility in Los Alamos, NM. The role involves designing analog and digital circuitry to control and monitor high-power RF amplifiers, with emphasis on reliability and maintainability.

Collaboration with mechanical, instrumentation, and accelerator physics teams is essential. At Engineer 3 level, you may independently lead RF amplifier projects, including defining interfaces,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering and 4 years related experience.
• Master's degree in Engineering and 6 years related experience; PhD preferred.
• Strong RF, high-voltage and high-power electronics background.

Responsibilities

• Design analog and digital electronics to control/monitor amplifier systems.
• Create whole system schematics and high-level documentation.
• Collaborate with mechanical, instrumentation and accelerator physics teams.

Skills

Electrical schematics

CAD software

Circuit simulation

RF/high-power electronics

Documentation skills

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

Job description

What You Will Do

This position will be filled at either the Job Title Lower/Higher level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division (AOT), Radio Frequency Engineering (RFE) group is seeking an R&D Engineer 2 or 3 for the 201.25 MHz High-Power Radio-Frequency (201 HPRF) team.

The AOT division maintains, operates, and upgrades all accelerator systems used at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) complex. These consist of two 750-keV Cockcroft-Walton-based injector systems (H+ and H- systems), a 201.25-MHz drift-tube linear accelerator (LINAC) utilizing high-power diacrode tubes, an 805-MHz coupled cavity LINAC utilizing high-power klystrons as the primary power source, a proton storage ring, and roughly a kilometer of beam transport lines that deliver beam to the five independent research programs. The RFE group is principally responsible for all radio frequency (RF) systems and their associated amplitude and phase control in relation to the accelerating beam.

Due to the different types of equipment that we are involved with, when working in AOT-RFE no day is the same as the next. Members of the 201 HPRF team are involved in the design, construction, testing and installation of high-frequency high-power amplifiers dedicated to produce the RF power to achieve optimal acceleration and bunching of the beam. The 201 HPRF team works on tetrode and Diacrode vacuum tubes and their kilowatt to multi-megawatt amplifier structures, solid-state amplifiers, coaxial transmission lines, combining/splitting high-power components, circulators, the high-voltage and high-current power supplies to provide power to the amplifiers, and analog and digital electronics and controls. Additionally, this position will support the LANSCE Modernization Project (LAMP) that will replace the front-end of the accelerator (injector systems and drift-tube LINAC). The 201 HPRF team will be responsible for modifications and upgrades to the RF systems in support of those efforts, such as high-power testing of RF components, controls upgrades, high-voltage power supply upgrade, etc.

R&D Engineer 2 ($106,400 - $176,000)

The 201 HPRF team at LANSCE is looking for a candidate with a background in Electrical Engineering or related field to join the RF Engineering group. This is a support role with dynamic responsibilities, guided by the priorities of the High-Power Radio Frequency (HPRF) plant and upgrades required for LAMP. Duties include the design of analog and digital electronics to control and monitor amplifier systems while taking into account reliability, obsolescence and ease of maintenance. In addition, this position involve the study of complex electrical and electronic systems and creation of whole system schematics and high level documentation for high-voltage and analog electronics. Close collaboration and coordination with other engineers and technicians on the 201 HPRF team along with cooperation across other accelerator systems groups (such as mechanical, instrumentation and accelerator physics) is expected.

R&D Engineer 3 ($128,000 - $215,900)

In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, at this level the successful candidate will independently lead the development and execution RF amplifier systems projects as a part of LAMP. This includes owning the full design and procurement process, including defining electrical, thermal, and mechanical interfaces, and developing installation plans that ensure system performance, reliability, and safety. The role also involves conducting hazard analyses and preparing safety documentation to maintain regulatory compliance.

What You Need

• Proficiency in the development of whole system electrical schematics, including power, monitoring and controls.
• Proficiency with CAD software designed for electrical/electronics such as AutoCAD, kiCAD, Altium and/or Eagle.
• Experience with circuit simulation tools (e.g. PSpice, LTSpice).
• Experience in RF, high-voltage and/or high-power electronics.
• Strong documentation skills, including the creation of specifications, schematics, and test plans, along with the ability to present technical content to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively on complex, multi-disciplinary engineering projects.

Additional R&D Engineer 3 Job Requirements

• Proficiency in developing and supporting high-power electrical systems such as transformers, rectifiers, and DC or pulsed high-voltage power supplies.
• Strong background in diagnosing and resolving issues in RF and/or electrical systems throughout the full development lifecycle.
• Demonstrated ability to perform AC power design calculations, such as in-rush current, voltage drop, sequence currents, THD (total harmonic distortion).
• Demonstrated ability to perform DC power supply calculations, such as ripple-voltage, leakage current and, stored-energy.
• Proven track record of independently contributing to and occasionally leading complex, multi-disciplinary projects; skilled in translating technical requirements into effective, high-performance designs.
• Demonstrated skill in translating technical requirements into practical, high-performance system designs that meet customer expectations

Education/Experience R&D Engineer 2

Position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Education/Experience R&D Engineer 3

Position requires a master's degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. is be preferred.

Desired Qualifications

• Proficiency with laboratory and RF test equipment.
• Experience with vacuum tube and/or solid state amplifiers.
• Proficiency with matrix algebra and block diagram simulation software such as Matlab/Simulink, Scilab/Xcos, or equivalent.
• Experience working with electromagnetic simulations of RF structures.
• Knowledge of High-voltage DC and pulsed-power systems.
• Hazard analysis and safety document creation.
• Hands-on operational experience at an accelerator facility.
• Experience with NI LabView and LabView/FPGA programming.
• Experience with industrial controls systems (design and or/programming).
• Demonstrated experience draft software to generate P&IDs, electrical drawings, red lines, etc.
• Operations experience at an accelerator facility.

Note to Applicants

Applicants are encouraged to submit a comprehensive cover letter addressing, bullet by bullet, each of the required and desired skills.

Work Location

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Position commitment

Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Note to Applicants

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Where You Will Work

The Accelerator Operations and Technology - Radio Frequency Engineering (AOT-RFE) Group provides expertise, support, and technical leadership in all aspects of RF engineering including gridded tube amplifiers and klystrons as well as RF control systems and RF accelerator cavities. AOT-RFE's primary focus is the design, and implementation of RF systems for the LANSCE User Facility. This includes participation in current and future projects. AOT's secondary focus is to share its expertise and experience