Operator 3/4

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 73,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

401(k)

Tuition assistance

Flexible schedules

Relocation package

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico seeks an Operator to join the Institutional Facilities Division. The Operator will help keep critical infrastructure safe, reliable, and fully operational around the clock, collaborating with engineers, maintenance, safety, and project teams.

The role offers hands-on experience with high-reliability facility systems, on-call responsibilities, and opportunities to participate in upgrades and project work.

Qualifications

• Proficient knowledge and experience in facility operations and maintenance including mechanical, electrical, computing or chemical processing systems.
• Ability to identify hazards, safety practices, and lock-out/tag-out policy adherence.
• Strong communication across operations, maintenance, engineering, safety and customers.
• Ability to evaluate and recommend solutions for facility equipment maintenance and operations.
• Proficient with computer software to facilitate work processes.
• Able to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to read and interpret engineered facility/project documents, drawings and schematics.
• Ability to exercise judgment where procedures are not fully defined.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine walkdowns, reviews and inspections to ensure safe operation of facilities.
• Identify and communicate facility issues, hazards, or equipment concerns in a timely manner.
• Support configuration management and control of facility systems and changes.
• Coordinate between operations, maintenance, engineering, customers and subcontractors.
• Ensure work is performed as planned and within established controls.
• Contribute to design, construction and start-up activities of facilities.
• Respond to abnormal conditions and troubleshoot equipment to maintain operability.
• Participate in on-call shifts during off-hours as needed.
• Assist Building Managers with work scope verification and completion.
• Escort personnel for maintenance or project activities.

Skills

Facility operations

Safety practices

Communication

Troubleshooting

Computer software

Reading schematics/drawings

Quick decision making

Teamwork

Education

Associate's degree

5 years related experience (or equivalent)

Job description

Functional Job Title Operator 3/4

Power the infrastructure behind one of the nation's most important missions.

The Institutional Facilities (IF) Division is seeking a motivated and technically skilled Operator to join our Facility and Waste Operations team. This is more than a facilities operations role-it's an opportunity to work on the critical infrastructure that enables world-class science, national security, and groundbreaking research at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

As an Operator, you'll be at the center of mission-critical operations, ensuring our facilities remain safe, reliable, and fully operational 24/7. You'll work alongside engineers, maintenance professionals, safety professionals, project teams, and customers to solve real-world challenges, respond to dynamic operating conditions, and keep complex systems performing at their best.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy troubleshooting sophisticated facility systems, and take pride in making a visible impact every day, this is the opportunity for you.

What You'll Gain:

Beyond the daily impact, this role builds elite technical expertise in complex, high-reliability facility systems-skills that translate directly across facility operations and critical infrastructure industries nationwide. You'll sharpen crisis-ready judgment through response to emergency and abnormal events and help develop corrective actions through collaboration and teamwork that comes from coordination across multiple disciplines and ensuring accountability in the field. For those ready to step up, the Operator 4 track offers direct project involvement-guiding upgrades, shutdowns, and mentoring subcontractors-building the track record for future engineering or leadership roles. It's career-defining experience and growth that few opportunities can match.

This position will be filled at either the Operator 3 or Operator 4 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.

Operator 3 ($66,100 - $103,600)

• Performs routine facility walkdowns, procedures reviews, and inspections to ensure safety and efficient operation of the facilities, maintain awareness of conditions, ongoing work, and potential risks
• Identifies and communicates facility issues, hazards, equipment performance, or configuration concerns in a timely manner
• Supports configuration management by maintaining awareness and control of facility systems and changes, routinely performing equipment rotations
• Supports planning and execution of scheduled work by ensuring coordination between operations, maintenance, engineering, customers, and subcontractors
• Drives accountability in the field by ensuring work is performed as planned and within established controls
• Participates in technical aspects related to facility construction, design, and/or start-up activities
• Responds to unexpected operating conditions and troubleshoot equipment and systems to maintain operability
• Serves on a periodic and rotating on-call team, respond to abnormal and emergency events during off-shift hours
• Supports Building Managers by identifying required work scope, verifying work status, and confirming work completion
• Performs escorting duties in support of maintenance or project activities

Operator 4 ($72,800 - $115,400)

In addition to the responsibilities outlined at the lower level, Operator 4 position:

• Contributes to the development of new principles, concepts and operational improvements
• Maintains involvement in project implementation and verification that the product meets expectations and requirements
• Makes recommendations regarding facility operating equipment and/or systems
• Coordinates and manages equipment shutdowns, upgrades, and/or installations and provides guidance to support maintenance and service subcontractors

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Proficient knowledge and experience in a wide variety of facility operations and maintenance activities including, but not limited to, mechanical, electrical, computing, or chemical processing systems
• Ability to understand and identify work hazards, safety practices, operating configuration, and experience with lock-out/tag-out policies and procedures
• Ability to communicate effectively through operations, maintenance, engineering, safety and customers
• Ability to evaluate and recommend solutions to problems regarding facility equipment maintenance and operations
• Proficient knowledge and experience using computer software to facilitate work processes
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Ability to understand and interpret various engineered facility or project documents, drawings, and schematics
• Ability to exercise judgment in facility operations where procedures may not fully define the response
• Ability to obtain DOE Q Clearance

Additional Job Requirements for Operator 4:

Education/Experience

Education/Experience at lower level: Associate's degree and 3 years of related experience; or equivalent combination.

Education/Experience at higher level: Associates Degree and 5 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination.

Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge and experience operating in data centers and/or with facility systems such as emergency backup equipment, chillers, building automation or PLCs, cooling towers, water systems, chemical treatment, etc.
• Experience in responding to facility emergencies and abnormal conditions.
• Experience documenting field observations, issues, and work status clearly and accurately
• Experience working in a team-based operational environment with competing priorities
• Experience working in a high-consequence, mission-driven, or regulated operational environment
• Active Q Clearance

Essential Job Functions (can perform with or without reasonable accommodation):

Lift 25LBS

Work Environment:

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 2 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

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and vision insurance
• Free basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. Please refer to Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to [e-mail] or call (505)-664-6947.