Project Engineer (Nuclear Facility Engineer 3 or 4)

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

High-deductible medical insurance

Dental and vision insurance

401(k) matching and contributions

Tuition assistance

Flexible schedules

Onsite gyms

Relocation packages

Job summary

A leading research facility located in Los Alamos, NM, is seeking a Nuclear Facilities Project Engineer to lead technical engineering activities. This position involves managing engineering design efforts, collaborating with project teams, mentoring junior engineers, and implementing safety standards. Candidates should have a bachelor's degree in engineering, relevant experience with engineering design and construction contracts, and excellent communication skills. A proven record of onboarding advanced engineering principles in a collaborative environment is required.

Qualifications

• Experience with engineering design and construction contracts.
• Familiarity with conduct of engineering programs and cost control.
• Advanced knowledge of engineering assessments and audits.
• Excellent communication skills in written and verbal formats.
• Experience mentoring junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical engineering activities for project execution.
• Manage design efforts and ensure implementation of comments.
• Collaborate with project teams to assure safety in design.
• Mentor junior project engineers.

Skills

Design and construction contracts

Conduct of engineering program (e.g., LANL COE)

Cost engineering functions

Assessment/audit practices

Collaboration

Technical knowledge

Mentoring experience

Industry codes and standards (NEC, IBC, etc.)

Quality standards (ASME NQA-1, ISO 9000)

Excellent verbal and written communication

Desktop automation (MS Office Suite)

Problem-solving methodologies (Lean Six Sigma)

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Advanced engineering or technical degree

Tools

MS Project

Oracle P6

Job description

What You Will Do

The position will be filled at either the Nuclear Facilities Project Engineer 3 or 4 level, depending on the candidate’s skills. Additional responsibilities outlined below will apply if the candidate is hired at the higher level. The Plutonium Infrastructure Engineering Division (PIE‑DO) of Los Alamos National Laboratory develops, maintains, and applies a diverse set of engineering capabilities to support the Laboratory’s Plutonium Facility. PIE‑DO implements the Conduct of Engineering (COE) program on Division projects, ensuring risk management and customer satisfaction in a safe, secure, cost‑effective, and environmentally responsible manner.

Responsibilities

• Lead as the technical representative for engineering activities related to planning, design, execution, and closeout of projects.
• Manage engineering design efforts by internal and/or external teams, facilitate design reviews, and ensure implementation of comments.
• Verify complaint design delivery at each stage (30/60/90/100 %).
• Manage technical requirements for construction (designer‑constructor interfaces, design changes, submittals, inspections, RFIs, FCRs, commissioning, turnover).
• Collaborate with the integrated project team to assure scope, requirement tracking, and safety in design.
• Work with LANL Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) reps and subject‑matter experts to resolve issues.
• Plan and forecast project engineering staffing needs.
• Review progress against approved schedules and budgets, evaluate variances, and develop corrective actions.
• Enforce LANL Conduct of Engineering policies, programs, procedures, and practices.
• Mentor junior project engineers and oversee their work.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives.
• For level 4: Demonstrate proven leadership experience and strategic thinking for institutional programs.

Qualifications

• Experience with design and construction contracts.
• Experience with a conduct of engineering program (e.g., LANL COE).
• Familiarity with cost engineering functions, cost estimating, cost control, and variance analysis.
• Advanced knowledge of assessment/audit practices.
• Collaboration with SMEs, construction personnel, and peers.
• Advanced technical knowledge to evaluate and interpret engineering requirements.
• Mentoring experience.
• Experience with industry codes and standards (NEC, IBC, ASME, NFPA, etc.).
• Experience with national quality standards (ASME NQA‑1, ISO 9000, etc.).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Desktop automation skills (MS Office Suite).
• Advanced training in problem‑solving methodologies (Lean Six Sigma, root‑cause analysis).

Higher Level Requirements (Level 4)

• Advanced knowledge of construction engineering principles and practices.
• Experience in a senior engineering role implementing, overseeing, or assessing engineering activities.
• Expert knowledge of quality assurance tools and practices.
• Expert‑level assessment/audit practices.
• Expert knowledge of construction codes, standards, formal project‑management methodologies, and Laboratory business systems and functional organizations.
• Strategic thinking for development of institutional programs and initiatives.
• Advanced capability in evaluating complex technical systems through structured assessments, data analysis, and performance monitoring.
• Deep understanding of national consensus standards and application within engineering, testing, and operational environments.
• Strong analytical proficiency in applying statistical and metrology methods to diagnose process variation, determine root causes, and improve reliability and performance.

Education & Experience

Level 3 requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least 6 years of practical work experience. Level 4 requires the same degree and at least 12 years of practical work experience.

Advanced engineering or technical degrees are highly desired. Current registration as an Engineer in Training (EIT) or Professional Engineer (PE) is highly desirable.

Training / Certifications

Current registration as an Engineer in Training (EIT) is highly desirable. Current registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) is highly desirable.

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant engineering/technical field.
• Professional registration as a professional engineer or registered architect.
• Awareness of NRC or DOE/NNSA nuclear/radiological facilities or projects, and DOE standards and Orders.
• Experience developing engineering schedules with MS Project or Oracle P6.
• Active Q Clearance.

Work Environment

Onsite at Los Alamos, NM. Work location is at the discretion of management.

Benefits

• High‑deductible medical insurance and PPO with nationwide network.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Basic life and disability insurance.
• Paid childbirth and parental leave.
• Award‑winning 401(k): 6 % matching plus 3.5 % annual contribution.
• Tuition assistance and learning opportunities.
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays).
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs.
• Extensive relocation packages outside a 50‑mile radius.

Additional Details

Compliance with NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 is required for U.S. citizens. Foreign nationals are subject to DOE Order 142.3A.

Q‑level clearance is required, obtained by U.S. citizenship and subject to federal background investigation. Eligibility: at least 18 years old, U.S. citizenship (except limited exceptions).

Laboratory requires a new‑employment drug test and maintains a substance‑abuse policy including random drug testing.

Equal Opportunity

Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal‑opportunity employer and is committed to making the workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are provided upon request.