R&D Engineer 4

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 125,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Onsite gym

Medical insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM, seeks an experienced engineer to join the Plutonium Supply and Disposition (PSD) Division. You will design and qualify critical components for nuclear weapons systems in a high-security, mission-driven environment.

Role emphasizes quality management, SPC, RCA, and process improvement across programs. Requires a Master's in Engineering, 12 years' related experience, and active Q clearance; HRP involvement is expected.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in engineering and 12 years of related experience; Ph.D. may be preferred.
• Advanced experience in manufacturing and reliability engineering, SPC, data analysis, and solution implementation.
• Expert-level proficiency in manufacturing process development and process modeling.
• Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and cross-functional project leadership.
• Active Q clearance and HRP participation.

Responsibilities

• Identify and implement quality requirements internally and externally.
• Develop metrics, SPC charts, and data sources for production.
• Lead Failure Mode Effects Analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, and RCA.
• Coach and lead continuous improvement projects and coordinate audits.
• Support production readiness reviews and trend analysis for yield improvement.
• Partner with senior leaders to implement long-term quality improvements.

Skills

Quality leadership

Statistical analysis

Process improvement

Cross-functional teamwork

Data analytics

Manufacturing engineering

Root cause analysis

Q clearance

Education

Master's Degree in Engineering

12 years related experience

Tools

ANSYS

COMSOL

GD&T

Job description

What You Will Do

Welcome to the Associate Laboratory Directorate for Weapons Production (ALDWP) and the Plutonium Supply and Disposition (PSD) Division. The PSD Division is one of 10 divisions in ALDWP. We are confident that you will find the PSD Division a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Our employees are the most valuable asset within ALDWP and the Laboratory as a whole. The PSD Division provides plutonium pit related products and services of superior quality and value to protect our nation and promote world stability.

What You Will Do

Welcome to the Associate Laboratory Directorate for Weapons Production (ALDWP) and the Plutonium Supply and Disposition (PSD) Division. The PSD Division is one of 10 divisions in ALDWP. We are confident that you will find the PSD Division a dynamic and rewarding place to work. Our employees are the most valuable asset within ALDWP and the Laboratory as a whole. The PSD Division provides plutonium pit related products and services of superior quality and value to protect our nation and promote world stability.

Located in northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is primarily responsible for monitoring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile and conducting advanced research in numerous areas related to national security. Additionally, it is a center for research in a wide range of scientific disciplines, including space exploration, geophysics, renewable energy, supercomputing, medicine, and nanotechnology.

As part of the PSD Division, you will contribute your expertise in precision machining and mechanical engineering to support national security objectives. You will design, develop, and qualify critical components for nuclear weapons systems and experimental platforms in a high-tech, secure, and mission-driven environment. Key responsibilities include:

• Ensure that Quality requirements are effectively identified and implemented internally and externally.
• Develop and implement metrics, statistical process control charts, and production data sources.
• Lead and document Failure Mode Effects Analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, and problem analysis.
• Develop, coach, and lead continuous improvement projects.
• Support production and technical readiness reviews.
• Develop and implement trend analysis processes and drive yield improvement.
• Implement strategic initiatives designed to drive long term improvement to Quality metrics, including cost of poor quality and non-conformances.
• Develop partnerships with senior site leaders, program managers, product managers, and engineering functions to define steps necessary to implement continuous improvement strategies for successful mission execution.
• Perform process walks and use metrics to drive continuous improvements across programs.
• Support internal and external audits to assess compliance with quality management system standards.
• Set direction and goals for well-defined tasks involving more than one person. Analyze task within a project and define deliverables at task level. Lead specific project tasks to meet scope, schedule and budget.
• Actively participate in professional societies, National Nuclear Security Administration/Department of Energy complex interactions, special assignments. May participate in external working groups and/or assist in organizing meetings.
• Provide peer review of the work of others across organizations or disciplines.
• Develop mentoring skills to mentor peers and junior staff in technical and professional growth.
• Maintain state-of-the-art technical expertise and knowledge within discipline and develop new skills in related disciplines. Attain additional certifications and/or qualifications to grow in field, which may include more advanced educational degrees.
• Foster a mutually respectful and inclusive work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.

We value diverse skills and experience, so don't hold back. Your specific qualifications could add tremendous value to our team. Our customers 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:

• Advanced experience in manufacturing and/or reliability engineering, statistical process control, data acquisition, data analysis, and solution implementation.
• Expert-level proficiency in manufacturing process development.
• Familiarity with process modeling.
• Comprehensive knowledge of configuration management principles and practices.
• Familiarity with AS9100 Quality Management Systems.
• Extensive experience in project development, reporting, and management.
• Application of advanced design, development, evaluation, and quality assurance techniques for complex engineering projects.
• Proven experience driving cross-functional teams.
• Active Q clearance and participation in the Human Reliability Program (HRP).

Education/Experience: Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 12 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in nuclear or radiological environments and glovebox operations.
• Experience leading process hazard analyses and audit activities.
• Familiarity with NQA-1 or equivalent quality assurance frameworks.
• Experience in mechanical design and drafting, machine design.
• Use of simulation tools (ANSYS, COMSOL) for thermal or mechanical analysis.
• Certification in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
• Lean Six Sigma.
• Manufacturing metrics
• Understanding of machine dynamics and kinematics
• Background in CNC programming, additive manufacturing, or custom tooling design.
• Machining process optimization.
• Materials science characterization and analysis.

Work Schedule: This position may require 24/7 coverage, which could involve working a shift/weekend schedule. Employees may be eligible for the shift differential pay when assigned by their manager. Shift/weekend assignments are at the discretion of the manager.

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

• Please submit a detailed resume highlighting all your experience and achievements to be considered for this position.
• 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.

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.

HRP: This position is subject to the requirements of the DOE Human Reliability Program as specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulation, Part 712.

• 712.11. These requirements include on going drug and alcohol testing, as well as periodic medical and psychological evaluations.

426.2A: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2A, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.

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. 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.