R&D Engineer 1

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Parental leave

401(k) with match

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Onsite gym

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking an R&D Engineer 1 to provide engineering analysis support for plutonium production activities at LANL. You will model production processes, apply engineering methods, and support project execution across domains such as metal refining, casting, heat treating, and welding.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in engineering and at least 2 years of related experience, with eligibility for a Q clearance.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of engineering principles, practices, and tools as demonstrated by experience in research, analysis, validation, and verification activities
• Analytical thinking with demonstrated experience in data analysis, manipulation, and interpretation
• Knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals, including developing and managing engineering requirements
• Demonstrated experience in engineering analysis, particularly using numerical methods
• Ability to document technical results in a formal method/format
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which requires US citizenship

Responsibilities

• Detailed modeling of all production processes including metal refining, melting, casting, heat treating, forming, machining, and welding
• Applying engineering principles to continuously improve manufacturing processes
• Contributing to successful completion of technical projects by aiding analysis, validation, implementation, and verification of practical engineering solutions
• Assisting in developing novel problem-solving methods for engineering problems with significant national security implications
• Assisting in writing technical documents and presenting technical work at internal and external meetings, seminars, and conferences

Skills

Engineering principles

Analytical thinking

Systems engineering fundamentals

Numerical methods

Technical documentation

Communication skills

Presentation skills

US citizenship / Q clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

The Product Realization and Reliability Office (PRRO) in Nuclear Production Operations consists of a multidisciplinary group of engineers and scientists that support plutonium programs (i.e., pit production, surveillance, research & development, and subcritical experiments) across the entire Nuclear Production Operations organization.

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

The Product Realization and Reliability Office (PRRO) in Nuclear Production Operations consists of a multidisciplinary group of engineers and scientists that support plutonium programs (i.e., pit production, surveillance, research & development, and subcritical experiments) across the entire Nuclear Production Operations organization.

The PRRO is seeking candidates for an R&D Engineer 1 position to provide engineering analysis support for all plutonium production activities. In this role, you will be responsible for:

• Detailed modeling of all production processes including metal refining, melting, casting, heat treating, forming, machining, and welding.
• Applying engineering principles, practices, and tools to continuously improve manufacturing processes.
• Contributing to the successful completion of technical projects by assisting in the analysis, validation, implementation, and verification of practical engineering solutions.
• Assisting in the development of novel problem-solving methods to solve engineering problems with significant national security implications.
• Assisting in the writing of technical documents and presenting technical work at internal and external meetings, seminars, and conferences.

Individuals working in this position will work in one or more of the following technical areas: Applied Engineering Analysis, Systems Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Digital Engineering, or Industrial Engineering.

We value diverse skills and experience, so don't hold back. Your specific qualification could add tremendous value to our team. Our production partners come from all different backgrounds, and so do our employees. If you're passionate about what you could accomplish here, we'd love to hear from you.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Knowledge of engineering principles, practices, and tools as demonstrated by experience in research, analysis, validation, and verification activities
• Intermediate analytical thinking skills, including demonstrated experience in the analysis, manipulation, and interpretation of data.
• Knowledge of systems engineering fundamentals, including demonstrated experience in developing and managing engineering requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in engineering analysis, particularly in the application of numerical methods to solve engineering problems.
• Demonstrated ability to document technical results in a formal method/format
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which requires US citizenship

Education/Experience:

Position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering from an accredited institution and 2 years of related experience. Candidates that meet the degree requirement, but do not meet the 2-year minimum experience requirement are encouraged to apply and may be considered for hire through an allowable variance.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in designing and executing experiments to evaluate the performance of equipment and the quality of manufacturing processes.
• Familiarity with Models Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), SysML language is preferred
• Demonstrated proficiency in computer programming, preferably in broadly used, general purpose programming languages (e.g., Python, C/C++, or MATLAB).
• Demonstrated experience in standardizing data collection practices, leveraging data to drive operational change, and developing digital models to accelerate the development of complex systems.

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.

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 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 maternity and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO)
• 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.

Clearance:

Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

• 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.

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.

Equal Opportunity:

Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or preference, 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 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 1-505-665-4444 option 1.