Senior/Principal Electromechanical Technologist - Radiation Effects Experimentation and Analysis, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 75,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking an experienced electromechanical technologist to support radiation effects testing. You will work with labs and external facilities to evaluate device performance in radiation environments, operate laser systems, and own lab safety responsibilities including laser safety oversight.

Occasional travel and on-site work are required. The role emphasizes hands-on testing of microelectronics and assemblies, collaboration across teams, and contributing to the

Qualifications

• Associates degree in a technical field; or a high school diploma plus 4 years of related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• General laboratory experience with sensitive instruments and attention to detail
• Experience with lab-based test activities including troubleshooting, component assembly, and measurement data collection
• Experience troubleshooting electronic or optical test setups
• Ability to travel periodically (about one week per month) to support tests at external radiation test facilities
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related STEM area (preferred)
• Programming skills in LabVIEW, MATLAB, or C++ (preferred)
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Diversity and teamwork emphasis
• Experience designing, building, and/or operating laser-based test equipment (preferred)

Responsibilities

• Support testing at radiation test facilities and lab-based testing
• Test piece-part microelectronics and functional assemblies to inform design and qualification
• Operate laser systems and surrogates for radiation environments
• Own lab EH&S responsibilities including laser safety; act as DLSO as needed
• Plan, execute, and document test activities; manage procurement of equipment
• Travel to external facilities about weekly as needed
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team on challenging projects

Skills

Laser equipment

Laser beam alignment

Pressure systems

Electronic device testing

Test planning & control

Communication & teamwork

DOE clearance readiness

Education

Associate degree in technical field

High school diploma + 4 years related exp

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related STEM

Tools

LabVIEW

MATLAB

C++

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Job description

Senior/Principal Electromechanical Technologist - Radiation Effects Experimentation and Analysis, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting‑edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide

Extraordinary co‑workers

Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

Career advancement and enrichment opportunities

Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten‑hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part‑time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)

Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World‑changing technologies. Life‑changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We seek an experienced and motivated individual to support testing at radiation test facilities, perform lab‑based testing, and perform lab ownership responsibilities.

This individual will work as a part of a team to perform testing on piece part microelectronics as well as functional circuit and system level assemblies to inform design and qualification activities for Sandia components. This testing includes operation of lab‑based laser systems that act as surrogates for radiation test environments as well as testing at radiation test facilities. In addition to test activities this person is expected to perform critical ES&H functions as an owner of a lab with class 3b/4 lasers as well as deputy laser safety officer (DLSO) for the center.

You will work in a collaborative environment with a complementary team and have access to some of the world's most powerful facilities, tools, and expertise to evaluate device performance in radiation environments. The team is highly motivated, interactive, and mutually supportive, performing both individual and small group activities in a dynamic and friendly atmosphere. The team, as a whole, supports product delivery and performs leading‑edge research in collaboration with many groups across the Lab.

A wide range of skills are needed, including:

Familiarity or interest in learning laser equipment and test benches

Familiarity or interest in learning how to align and characterize laser beam lines, laser scanning systems, and optical imaging systems.

Familiarity or interest in designing, assembling, and operating pressure systems

Electronic device characterization testing, including use of oscilloscopes, multimeters, probe testers, dosimeters, etc.

Work planning and control implementation and documentation

On any given day, you may be called on to:

Participate in team discussions to understand test data.

Manage procurement of laboratory equipment and tools.

Perform measurements and collect data on individual devices or sub‑system level circuits

The successful candidate must be customer‑oriented and possess good interpersonal skills. A desire to learn and grow, self‑initiative, and self‑motivation are necessary. The role may expand and gain greater responsibilities depending upon demonstrated capabilities.

This position will require periodic travel (about one week per month) to support tests at external radiation test facilities.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range:

$74,700 - $144,400

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require:

Associates degree in a technical field; or a high school diploma plus 4 years of related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience

General laboratory or lab‑like experience requiring work with sensitive instruments and attention to detail

Experience with lab‑based test activities including troubleshooting, component assembly, and measurement data collection

Experience troubleshooting electronic or optical test set ups

Ability to travel periodically (about one week per month) to support tests at external radiation test facilities

Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

A Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related STEM area

Computer programming skills, especially LabView, MATLAB, or C++

Ability to think clearly and creatively to define technical solutions

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Strong interpersonal skills

Eagerness to collaborate in a multi‑disciplinary team environment

The addition of diversity to the department through background, experience, interests, etc.

Experience designing, building, and/or operating laser‑based test equipment

About Our Team:

The Radiation Effects Experimentation and Analysis Department is committed to ensuring the operational capability of the nation's nuclear stockpile in radiation and electromagnetic environments. Our work spans a diverse range of activities, from fundamental radiation effects research to the qualification of electronic components, subsystems, and systems against both natural and man‑made radiation environments, including those produced by nuclear detonations. We accomplish our mission by conducting both basic and applied radiation effects research on materials, electronics, and surrogate test objects. This includes rigorous testing and evaluation using advanced photon, ion, neutron, electron, and laser sources located at Sandia National Laboratories and other facilities across the United States. In addition to experimental work, we develop critical radiation, electrical, and plasma diagnostics to accurately characterize our test environments. We also perform simulations to analyze how electronics and other test objects respond to radiation. A key focus of our department is the design, measurement, analysis, and simulation of response data from surrogate test articles. This work is crucial for validating Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) computer codes, which are utilized to qualify weapon and satellite electronic systems against various pulsed radiation environments and effects. Additionally, our personnel provide expert guidance to electronic designers, ensuring the implementation of effective design techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of radiation. We also conduct qualification assessments of nuclear weapon hardware for each of Sandia's production groups, reinforcing our commitment to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the nation's nuclear capabilities.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

Sandia is required by DOE 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 for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q‑level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or 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.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on‑site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

• Affordable housing, reasonable cost of living
• Minimal traffic congestion compared to larger cities
• At Sandia, recruiters manually review resumes on each job posting instead of using a resume screening software program
• By following the best practices outlined, this ensures that recruiters can accurately determine your qualifications for the position