Principal Electrical Engineer

argonne; Lemont (IL); On-site; USD 116,000 - 181,000; Full time

Job summary

Argonne National Laboratory seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to support sensing, monitoring, and control systems in field and lab environments. The role requires expertise in hardware/software integration, embedded Linux, and cybersecurity for field-ready deployments.

Responsibilities include maintaining software tools, designing reliable system upgrades, and advancing control software with modern design patterns. US citizenship and ability to obtain a security clearance are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in electrical/computer engineering or related field.
• Hands-on experience with hardware/software integration and field deployment.
• Experience with embedded Linux and real-time software development.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve software tools for lab and field experiments.
• Design replacement software/hardware with focus on reliability and security.
• Develop and integrate new control system software and hardware components.

Skills

Python

C++

Embedded Linux

Soldering

Network protocols

GUI design

Database apps

Version control

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical/computer engineering

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

C/C++ tooling

Make utilities

Test equipment

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Principal Electrical Engineer to join the Field Intelligence Element (FIE) to support the development, integration, deployment, and sustainment of laboratory and field-deployable sensing, monitoring, and control systems. The FIE enables Argonne National Laboratory to provide products and services to DOE’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence (DOE-IN), the Intelligence Community (IC), and non-IC federal agencies.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintain, troubleshoot, and improve the current suite of software tools used for laboratory and field experimental operation within the group. This includes configuring, adapting, validating, and documenting these software tools to meet the varying needs of the experiments. This task will require the candidate to become fluent in our current software designs and be able to diagnose issues down to the network layer, including communication interfaces, embedded operating systems, and field-deployed network configurations.

• Design replacement software and hardware components to improve upon existing systems, with emphasis on reliability, maintainability, performance, cybersecurity, and field readiness.

• Design new electronics configurations which seamlessly merge with other existing systems.

• Design, develop, test, and integrate replacement software, firmware, hardware, and electronics components to improve existing sensing, monitoring, and control systems.

• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time is required. Travel includes field trials in domestic and international locations to deploy, test, develop, and gather data using specific sensing systems.

• Assist in long-term planning of project direction and scope as new opportunities arise, including system modernization and evaluation of emerging technologies.

Position Requirements

• Degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or a closely related technical field and relevant engineering experience, or equivalent.

• Hands-on experience in soldering, cable assembly, use of test equipment, troubleshooting systems, and complex system integration of commercial technology into specialized platforms

• Serve as a technical subject matter expert in applying hardware and software technologies relevant to the development and maintenance of scientific control systems

• Drive end-to-end software and firmware life-cycle phases and source/release control in a variety of language environments (Python, JavaScript, R, C++, C); have experience deploying for various operating systems in both desktop and embedded systems

• Be proficient in Python, and have development experience in the following technologies: embedded Linux, make utilities, C, C++, shell scripting, client/server applications, network communications, relational databases and user interface design, and web services

• Experience with the design and maintenance of custom embedded Linux hardware and operating systems

• Well-versed in industry standard design practices in terms of software and network security, including secure design, configuration control, and protection of field-deployed systems.

• Experience creating and developing practical technical solutions in resource-constrained or field-deployed environments.

• Be self-motivated, detail-oriented with good programming disciplines including code documentation and version control

• Interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate technical information to multidisciplinary teams and end users.

• Mechanical 3D CAD and design skills, able to assist in design and construction of field deployable test apparatus

• Proficient in the understanding and modification of existing schematics, printed circuit board layouts, interconnects, and cable design

• Expertise in developing for common serial communication protocols (TCP, UDP, I2C, UART, SPI, and others)

• Experience with developing and implementing digital signal processing algorithms and hardware in real-time systems

• Lead efforts to design and construct custom analog and digital printed circuit boards

• Modify existing Python-based control system software to meet future project needs

• Be the lead architect for the development of new control system software utilizing modern design patterns, frameworks, and methodologies

• Knowledge of the operation of radiation detection instrumentation

• Experience with designing and creating intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to control system applications and working with end users through an iterative process to refine the GUIs

• Support and enhance existing legacy control system tools and applications

• Interface extensively with mechanical systems and have a fundamental knowledge of mechanical terms and schematics

• Background in creating relational database applications and web-based tools

• Experience with advanced techniques in the development of control system and sensing applications

• To perform the essential functions of this position successful applicants must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, which is required to comply with federal regulations and contract. The selected candidate will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance. Please see http://www.state.gov/m/ds/clearances/c10978.htm for more information about requirements for obtaining a security clearance process.

The selected candidate will be placed at the appropriate level (RD3 or RD4) depending upon the depth and breadth of relevant knowledge, skills, and experience brought to the position. The requirements for the desired levels are as follows:

• RD3 Level: Bachelor’s and 8+ years; Master’s and 5+ years; Doctorate and 4+ years in electrical engineering, or equivalent. The expected pay range for this position is $116,250 - $181,350.

• RD4 Level: Bachelor’s and 12+ years; Master’s and 7+ years, or Doctorate and 6 + years in electrical, engineering, or equivalent. The expected pay range for this position is $138,000 - $215,280.

Job Family

Research Development (RD)

Job Profile

Electrical/Electronics Engineering 3

Worker Type

Regular

Time Type

Full timeThe expected hiring range for this position is $116,250.00 - $181,350.00.

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.

Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department.

All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case‑by‑case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.