Science/Engineering Program Manager 1/2

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision insurance

Retirement plan with contributions

Paid parental leave

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM, is seeking Science/Engineering Program Managers to join the Program Management team within Q-6. You will lead and coordinate technical and programmatic work across multiple projects, ensuring funding, schedule, and risk management align with lab goals.

Applicants should hold a science or engineering degree with 2–5 years of related experience, and demonstrate strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder liaison capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in science or engineering and 2–5 years related program management experience.
• Ability to develop internal relationships and communicate effectively at all levels.
• Ability to think critically to support negotiations and mitigate risk.
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Program Leadership: support technical and project leads for all projects to execute complex scope and align with priorities.
• Tactical Planning: develop plans and schedules to ensure stable funding and on‑time, on‑budget execution.
• Risk Mitigation: manage risks and develop mitigation strategies with leadership.
• Stakeholder Communication: liaise with internal stakeholders and provide regular updates to group and program offices.

Skills

Program management

Communication skills

Negotiation

Risk management

Stakeholder liaison

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or engineering or related field

Tools

P6

Microsoft Project

Jira

Confluence

Job description

What You Will Do

The Detonation Science & Technology Group (Q-6) is seeking Science/Engineering Program Managers (PM) to join our Program Management team at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

In this role, you will be at the forefront of advancing our nation's defense capabilities, leveraging your expertise to ensure the effectiveness of our nation's premier strategic deterrent. The Program Management team provides leadership and oversight of business and programmatic operations to ensure each team within our portfolio has the resources and support needed to meet institutional goals. Successful candidates will support their assigned teams through all stages of each project and serve as an important liaison between team leads and key internal Laboratory stakeholders such as the Integrated Schedule, design, fabrication, assembly, and test execution teams. The PM may collaborate (including occasional travel) with sites across the Nuclear Security Enterprise.

The Program Management team is one of the many teams in Q-6 applying a broad range of skills in response to emerging threats. In Q-6, we responsively address national security challenges through simultaneous technical and programmatic excellence and innovation in the development of future weapons systems with our laboratory and national defense partners. Our teams focus on effective design, development, and peer review of future weapons systems with an emphasis on improved performance, safety, and agility in support of our nation's foremost defense missions.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Leadership: Support technical and project leads for all projects in an assigned portfolio to execute complex technical and operational scope on small to mid‑size projects, ensuring alignment with group priorities and customer requirements.
• Tactical Planning: Develop and implement tactical plans and schedules to ensure stable funding for all assigned team members, and facilitate on‑time, on‑budget project execution.
• Risk Mitigation: Manage risks throughout assigned portfolio and participate in development of risk mitigation strategies in conjunction with project and group leadership.
• Stakeholder Communication: Serve as a liaison with internal Laboratory stakeholders such as the integrated schedule team, design engineering, machining, assembly, and test execution groups, providing regular project updates through group and program office reporting mechanisms.

What You Need 1

Minimum Job Requirements (Science & Engineering Program Manager 1)

• Entry‑level knowledge of program management of scientific or engineering scope, including defining program work scope, schedules, budgets, priorities, and performance milestones; developing cost, scope, and schedule baselines; reporting cost and schedule variance; and managing change control and risk.
• Entry‑level knowledge of the science or engineering discipline of the assigned portfolio(s).
• Ability to develop and nurture internal relationships and interact effectively with all levels of internal personnel.
• Ability to think critically to support negotiations, resolve conflict, and mitigate project risk in partnership with project, team, and group leadership.
• Excellent oral, written, and presentation communication skills.

What You Need 2

Additional Job Requirements (Science & Engineering Program Manager 2)

• Working knowledge of and experience in program management of scientific or engineering scope, including defining program work scope, schedules, budgets, priorities, and performance milestones; developing cost and schedule baselines; reporting cost and schedule variance; and managing change control and risk.
• Working knowledge of the science or engineering discipline of the assigned portfolio(s).
• Ability to serve as the primary interface with one or more mid‑level or external customers to establish project/program scope, budget, deliverables, and communications plans.
• Demonstrated experience in conflict resolution and risk mitigation in a project setting.

Education/Experience

Position requires a Bachelor’s Degree in a science, engineering, or related field, from an accredited institution, and 2 years (lower level) or 5 years (higher level) of directly related technical and program management experience, or an equivalent combination of education and technical experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications

• Active DOE “Q” or other Top‑Secret clearance.
• Formal project management training or education with the ability to obtain a PMP certification within 2 years.
• Knowledge of industry‑standard financial policies and principles, including forecasting and scheduling programs such as P6, Microsoft Projects, Jira, Confluence.
• Experience working with Weapons Engineering and Weapons Physics organizations.
• Knowledge of nuclear weapons, NNSA facilities, or DoD customers that support the U.S. stockpile.
• Proficiency in written correspondence, reports, procedures, and directives.
• Preferred PMP certification.

Work Location

The work location for this position is onsite in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at management discretion.

Essential Job Functions

• Ability to speak.
• Reading vision.

Position Commitment

Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position to be eligible to apply for posted jobs. The required service period is 1 year.

Travel

This position will be expected to travel frequently to support technical and programmatic meetings.

Security Restrictions

Citizens of the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau), the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and the Russian Federation who are not lawful permanent residents are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Benefits

• PPO or high‑deductible medical insurance with a large nationwide network.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Free basic life and disability insurance.
• Paid childbirth and parental leave.
• Award‑winning 401(k) with 6% matching plus 3.5% annually.
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance.li>
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays).
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs.
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50‑mile radius).

Clearance

The position requires a Q clearance. Selected applicants will undergo a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the federal government and must meet eligibility requirements. The clearance requires U.S. citizenship unless in extremely rare circumstances. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship as described in DOE Order 472.2.

New‑Employment Drug Test

The Laboratory requires a new‑employment drug test and maintains a substance‑abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law; a positive test will result in termination of employment.

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 other protected attributes. The Laboratory is committed to making the workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. For more information, contact [e-mail] or call [phone].