R&D Mechanical Engineer – Nuclear Weapon System (Onsite)

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 163,700 - 278,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking an experienced R&D Mechanical Engineer for the W93 Systems Design, onsite in New Mexico. You will lead mechanical design efforts, balance hands‑on work with strategic decisions, and coordinate with partners like LANL and Lockheed Martin to ensure safe, effective system integration.

The role requires a DOE Q clearance, senior technical leadership, and the ability to operate across multidisciplinary teams to advance national security objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline with 12 years of directly relevant experience or equivalent.
• Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent to start.
• Ability to perform independent research and development within program goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design for the W93 system and develop layouts for major components.
• Collaborate with external partners to define interfaces and ensure manufacturability.
• Coordinate with internal teams for cross‑discipline integration and risk management.
• Model concepts with Creo/SolidWorks and maintain design integrity in PDMLink.
• Present designs and participate in design reviews with internal and external partners.
• Advise executive management on mechanical design strategies and system integration.

Skills

Systems engineering

Cross-team collaboration

Communication skills

Trade studies

Nuclear weapon design concepts

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline

Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Tools

Creo

SolidWorks

PDMLink

Job description

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking an experienced R&D Mechanical Engineer for the W93 Systems Design, onsite in New Mexico. You will lead mechanical design efforts, balance hands‑on work with strategic decisions, and coordinate with partners like LANL and Lockheed Martin to ensure safe, effective system integration.

The role requires a DOE Q clearance, senior technical leadership, and the ability to operate across multidisciplinary teams to advance national security objectives.