Reliability/Maintenance Engineer (R&D Engineer 2/3)
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Detonator Production Division seeks an experienced R&D Engineer to ensure reliability of programmatic equipment for national security missions. The role will be filled at R&D Engineer 2 or 3 based on skills, offering growth in maintenance strategy and asset management within a fast-paced environment.
Join a team delivering high-rigor manufacturing, collaborating with DP and DOE/NNSA partners to maintain safety, quality, and availability of WR detonators and
Qualifications
- In-depth knowledge of equipment reliability and maintenance.
- Knowledge of preventive maintenance development and failure-mode mitigation.
- Knowledge of maintenance work planning and control processes.
- Ability to identify performance problems and determine corrective actions.
- Strong communication skills with internal and external stakeholders.
Responsibilities
- Support reliability and availability of DP programmatic equipment and systems.
- Develop risk-based preventive maintenance strategies.
- Lead root-cause analyses and corrective actions.
- Maintain asset hierarchies within CMMS.
- Collaborate across the DP enterprise with teams and customers to support program success.
- Prepare technical specifications and support procurements.
- Develop system health reports and communicate equipment status.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
This position will be filled at either the R&D Engineer 2 or R&D Engineer 3 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level. Detonator Production (DP) Division is the premier Production Agency (PA) assigned to produce War Reserve (WR) detonators for the Nation's nuclear stockpile security mission. The Division is part of LANL's Weapons Production Directorate (ALDWP). DP is comprised of a team of motivated, highly skilled technical and operational support staff working in an integrated format. The organization is centered on high-rigor manufacturing operations to produce precision, safe and reliable WR products. DP partners closely with customers and stakeholders such as NNSA (National Nuclear Security Administration), Design Agencies (LANL, Sandia, and Livermore), and LANL program management organizations to deliver on challenging National security objectives. DP upholds vigorous teamwork, personal integrity, respectful workplace, and continuous improvement in operations, technical excellence, safety and security.
This position will be filled at either the R&D Engineer 2 or R&D Engineer 3 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level. Detonator Production (DP) Division is the premier Production Agency (PA) assigned to produce War Reserve (WR) detonators for the Nation's nuclear stockpile security mission. The Division is part of LANL's Weapons Production Directorate (ALDWP). DP is comprised of a team of motivated, highly skilled technical and operational support staff working in an integrated format. The organization is centered on high-rigor manufacturing operations to produce precision, safe and reliable WR products. DP partners closely with customers and stakeholders such as NNSA (National Nuclear Security Administration), Design Agencies (LANL, Sandia, and Livermore), and LANL program management organizations to deliver on challenging National security objectives. DP upholds vigorous teamwork, personal integrity, respectful workplace, and continuous improvement in operations, technical excellence, safety and security. As a Cognizant Systems Engineer, you will support the Infrastructure Planning Office (IPO) and act as the "equipment owner" for DP programmatic equipment. This will include researching and documenting preventive maintenance (PM) recommendations from manufacturers and industry standards, developing PM work instructions, leading trouble shooting and repair following equipment failure, and developing corrective maintenance instructions as needed. This is a highly visible opportunity to shape DP's equipment reliability strategy, strengthen operational performance, and uphold world-class standards in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment.
- Support the reliability and availability of Detonator Production (DP) programmatic equipment and systems.
- Develop, review, and implement risk-based preventive maintenance strategies that align with manufacturer recommendations, equipment criticality, performance data, and field experience.
- Evaluate preventive maintenance frequency, duration, and effectiveness in collaboration with planners, schedulers, production personnel, and maintenance teams.
- Conduct preventive maintenance audits and recommend improvements based on work-order history, failure trends, equipment condition, and operational risk.
- Identify and manage reliability risks that could adversely affect equipment operation, availability, or mission deliverables.
- Investigate equipment and system failures and support the development of corrective actions using recognized root-cause analysis methods, such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and fishbone diagrams.
- Analyze data and performance metrics-including downtime, uptime, schedule adherence, and recurring failures-to improve equipment reliability and maintenance effectiveness.
- Structure and maintain asset hierarchies within the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), ensuring equipment tags, locations, specifications, and bills of material are accurate, complete, and standardized.
- Apply engineering principles to support system configuration, equipment upgrades, maintenance method development, design reviews, and operational and maintenance readiness.
- Prepare technical specifications for equipment and services, evaluate vendor proposals, and support procurement activities through technical reviews and documentation.
- Develop system health reports that communicate equipment condition, system status, reliability risks, and availability metrics.
- Collaborate across the DP enterprise with production personnel, maintenance teams, quality assurance organizations, engineers, management, and internal and external customers to support program success.
- Serve as a technical lead for complex equipment reliability and maintenance initiatives, providing technical direction and independently resolving challenging or high-consequence issues.
- Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk-based preventive maintenance and asset reliability strategies across multiple equipment systems or program areas.
- Lead complex equipment failure investigations and root-cause analyses, develop corrective action strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness in preventing recurrence.
- Establish performance measures, analyze equipment and maintenance trends, and provide strategic recommendations to improve system availability, lifecycle performance, and operational readiness.
- Provide technical leadership for equipment upgrades, system configuration changes, design reviews, procurements, and readiness activities.
- Develop and implement standards and best practices for asset hierarchies, CMMS data quality, reliability analysis, technical documentation, and system health reporting.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to less-experienced engineers and other personnel while promoting consistent reliability and maintenance practices.
- Represent the organization on multidisciplinary teams and communicate complex technical risks, recommendations, and decisions to management, customers, and other stakeholders.
- In-depth knowledge of and demonstrated experience with equipment reliability and maintenance.
- Working knowledge of preventive maintenance development principles, maintenance task analysis, and failure-mode mitigation.
- Knowledge of maintenance work planning and control processes.
- Demonstrated experience identifying equipment performance problems, investigating potential solutions, and determining appropriate corrective actions.
- Sound knowledge of the mathematical and engineering principles used to evaluate equipment and system performance.
- In-depth understanding of work-hazard evaluations, safety practices, and operating configurations.
- Understanding of applicable industry standards, LANL protocols, and DOE/NNSA compliance requirements.
- Basic understanding of asset hierarchy standards, such as ISO 14224 or equivalent, and experience managing asset master data within a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Proficiency in preparing technical documentation and reports and using software tools for engineering and maintenance analysis.
- Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills as evidenced by internal and/or external interactions, seminars, briefings, presentations, and publications.
- Effective interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to interact with all levels of personnel and customers.
- Advanced knowledge of equipment reliability and maintenance principles, practices, and strategies, with demonstrated experience applying them to complex equipment and systems.
- Demonstrated experience leading the development, implementation, and optimization of preventive maintenance programs, including maintenance task analysis and failure-mode mitigation.
- Advanced knowledge of maintenance work planning and control processes and demonstrated experience improving maintenance effectiveness and equipment availability.
- Demonstrated ability to independently identify and analyze complex equipment performance issues, evaluate potential solutions, and develop and implement appropriate corrective actions.
- Advanced knowledge of mathematical and engineering principles used to assess equipment and system performance, reliability, and lifecycle needs.
- Demonstrated experience providing technical direction, recommendations, or leadership in support of equipment reliability and maintenance activities.
- Advanced knowledge of work-hazard evaluations, safety practices, operating configurations, and the integration of safety requirements into maintenance and reliability activities.
- Thorough understanding of applicable industry standards, LANL policies and procedures, and DOE/NNSA regulatory and compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated experience ensuring technical activities, recommendations, and documentation comply with applicable safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or maintaining asset hierarchies in accordance with recognized standards, such as ISO 14224 or equivalent.
- Advanced experience managing and evaluating asset master data within a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Demonstrated proficiency in developing high-quality technical documentation, analyses, and reports and in using software tools to support complex engineering and maintenance evaluations.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical information and recommendations to multidisciplinary teams, management, and other stakeholders.
Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 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.
- Demonstrated experience supporting or leading diverse operational teams, such as reliability engineers.
- Experience executing work in compliance with facility requirements.
- Knowledgeable of Integrated Work Management (IWM) and integrated safety and security management (ISSM) procedures.
- Experience with moderate/high hazard facility operating requirements
- Knowledge and understanding of Conduct of Maintenance, Conduct of Operations, and/or Conduct of Engineering programs.
- Experience in high-stakes, mission-critical environments, with an emphasis on safety, security, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
- Active DOE Q Clearance
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.
Color discrimination , depth perception, reading vision, ability to speak, discriminate speech, hear high pitched sounds, ability to smell, ability to hear in a normal range (500-3000 GHz). Sitting, walking , standing, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, twisting the trunk or back, balancing. Reaching overhead, horizontally, down, typing or keyboarding, use of both hands, both arms, both legs and both feet. Lifting and carrying 5-10 pounds.
The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
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.
- 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)
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.
- 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.
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.
Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.
Regular-status Laboratory employees applying for term-status positions may retain regular status with approval of the cognizant Principle Associate Director.
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 applicable 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 applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947 opt. 3.
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