Senior Electrical Engineer

Nevada National Security Sites; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 101,524 - 152,297; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Pension and 401(k)

Tuition assistance and reimbursement

Job summary

A high-hazard national security services provider is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer for their Special Technologies Laboratory in Santa Barbara, California. The role involves assessing vulnerabilities in operational technology systems, using innovative engineering methods to develop solutions while working in a multidisciplinary environment. Candidates need a Bachelor's degree in engineering and at least 5 years of relevant experience, demonstrating strong troubleshooting and communication skills. Competitive salary range from $101,524.80 to $152,297.60 is offered.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience with technical specialization.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and troubleshoot complex electro-mechanical systems.
• Self-motivated with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Assess vulnerabilities in operational technology systems.
• Design and develop data collection systems.
• Collaborate with teams for actionable system improvements.

Skills

Curiosity for identifying system vulnerabilities

Strong time-management skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering program

Tools

Embedded systems

Industrial controls

Job description

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Our mission is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by providing high‑hazard experimentation and incident response capabilities through operations, engineering, education, field, and integration services, while acting as environmental stewards for the Site’s Cold War legacy. Our vision is to be the user site of choice for large‑scale, high‑hazard national security experimentation, with premier facilities below ground, on the ground, and in the air.

• MSTS offers full‑time employees highly competitive salaries and benefits packages, including medical, dental, and vision insurance; a pension and a 401(k); paid time off and 96 paid holidays; relocation assistance (if located more than 75 miles from the work location); tuition assistance and reimbursement; and more.
• MSTS is a limited liability company consisting of Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs), and HII Nuclear Inc.

Responsibilities

MSTS is seeking a Senior Electrical Engineer for our Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) to support advanced R&D focused on understanding, exploiting, and protecting operational technology systems. This role blends hands‑on engineering with adversarial thinking—evaluating how systems can fail, be disrupted, or subverted, and developing sensing and monitoring approaches to detect and mitigate those risks. The engineer will work across embedded systems, industrial controls, and custom instrumentation in a fast‑paced, multidisciplinary environment. The ideal candidate is technically strong, curious, and creative—someone who enjoys probing system weaknesses, building novel solutions, and contributing to defensive engineering efforts. STL is located in Santa Barbara, California and serves as a key satellite location within the NNSS, responsive to NNSA nuclear security mission requirements and broader national security objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess vulnerabilities in operational technology systems, including industrial controls, embedded devices, and sensor networks, using analytical and hands‑on approaches.
• Design and develop sensing and data collection systems to monitor system behavior, detect anomalies, and validate system integrity.
• Develop and test techniques to emulate, induce, and detect system faults or disruptions, supporting red‑team and resilience efforts.
• Implement and integrate embedded and control systems solutions, including firmware, interfaces, and communication with industrial hardware.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate findings into actionable improvements in system design, monitoring, and protection.
• Perform other duties assigned by management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) for Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical engineering degrees, or a calculus‑based STEM bachelor’s degree in engineering. Alternatively, for architects, certification from NCARB, or a Professional Engineer license. Plus at least 5 years of relevant experience, with demonstrable technical specialization or cross‑disciplinary knowledge (graduate research experience may be recognized).
• Demonstrated desire to learn and innovate.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and troubleshoot complex electro‑mechanical systems, with curiosity for identifying system vulnerabilities across failure modes.
• Self‑motivated and able to complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision.
• Strong time‑management skills; well organized, maintaining safe work habits; and a broad range of technical interests.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write reports and technical documents.
• Primary work location: Special Technologies Laboratory (STL) in Santa Barbara, CA.
• Work schedule will be negotiated; employees may work 5‑8, 9‑80, or 4‑10 work‑weeks.
• Pre‑placement physical examination, including a drug screen, is required. MSTS maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.

MSTS is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre‑employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants offered employment with MSTS are also subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matters if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse, illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct, or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q‑level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship, at least 18 years of age, and may be impacted if more than one citizenship is held.

MSTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. MSTS is a background screening, drug‑free workplace.

Annual salary range for this position is: $101,524.80 – $152,297.60. Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate’s education and experience, and internal equity.