Senior/Principal R&D Metallurgical/Materials Engineer - Gas Transfer Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; California (MO); On-site; USD 139,900 - 280,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation

Excellent medical benefits

Competitive 401k

Learning opportunities

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories seeks a senior Ph.D. Metallurgical/Materials Engineer to ensure reliability and safety of pressure vessels in hydrogen service at the Livermore, CA site. The role emphasizes materials selection, design standards, and joining technologies, with frequent travel across CONUS.

The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in fracture mechanics, welding metallurgy, and failure analysis, and will interact with cross‑functional teams to reduce risk and drive innovation.

Qualifications

• PhD in Metallurgical/Materials field with strong research track record.
• Experience in pressure vessels, high‑integrity welded structures, or related high‑pressure apps.
• Ability to obtain/maintain DOE Q‑level security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Apply advanced materials science to design, qualification, and failure analyses of pressure vessels.
• Lead joining technology improvements and material selections for safety and reliability.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across Sandia and partner labs.

Skills

Pressure vessel design

Fracture mechanics

Welding metallurgy

Materials characterization

DOE security clearance

Education

PhD in Metallurgical Engineering / Materials Science

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Tools

SEM

Optical metallography

Hardness mapping

Job description

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:

Are you passionate about your work and dream of utilizing state‑of‑the‑art facilities to explore solutions? Do you want to join a dynamic team that solves significant issues for our nation’s security?

We are seeking an experienced Ph.D. Metallurgical Engineer or Materials Engineer (job title R&D S&E, Materials Science) with expertise in stainless steel metallurgy, fracture mechanics, and welding metallurgy to ensure the reliability, safety, and longevity of pressure vessels and related high‑pressure components. This senior technical role focuses on applying advanced materials science principles to the design, fabrication, qualification, failure analysis, and fitness‑for‑service assessments of pressure vessels in demanding environments (e.g., hydrogen service). The ideal candidate will serve as a subject matter expert in pressure vessel design, including utilizing existing design standards and welding engineering, and contributing to risk reduction and innovation in materials selection and joining technologies.

This role demands a blend of rigorous academic knowledge and practical industry application ideal for a Ph.D. engineer passionate about preventing catastrophic failures through advanced materials and joining science.

The position requires an ability to travel approximately 10‑25% of the time to various sites within the Continental United States (CONUS).

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite 100% of the time at the Livermore, CA facility.

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

Salary Range:

$139,900 - $280,600

*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:

A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q‑level Security Clearance.

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D S&E Metallurgical/Materials Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

Graduate degree in Materials Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).

Experience in a research and development environment.

Experience with materials characterization techniques.

Experience working on teams consisting of multidisciplinary and multi‑disciplinary experimentalists, modelers, and theorists with a common goal.

Effective interpersonal skills for giving presentations, preparing reports, writing articles, and explaining the important aspects of technical work to customers.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Mechanical Engineering (with a materials focus), or a closely related field.

Minimum of 5‑10 years of post‑Ph.D. industrial or research experience in materials engineering, with a strong emphasis on pressure vessels, high‑integrity welded structures, or related high‑pressure/critical applications (e.g., oil & gas, petrochemical, nuclear, power, aerospace).

Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and communication skills; ability to author technical reports, present findings to stakeholders, and influence cross‑functional teams.

Expertise in fracture mechanics, including the practical application of fracture toughness parameters to structural reliability and defect tolerance in pressure‑containing components.

Advanced knowledge of welding metallurgy and welding engineering, including multi‑process welding (EBW, GTAW, LBW) and weld defect mitigation for pressure vessel codes.

Experience with failure analysis techniques (SEM, optical metallography, fractography, hardness mapping) and mechanical testing (tensile, Charpy, CTOD, etc.).

Experience with interpreting and applying industry or internal standards and specifications for materials (ASTM or AMS material specifications) and components (ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code).

Active DOE Q‑level Security Clearance.

About Our Team:

The Gas Transfer System (GTS) Engineering Department is a group of engineers, material scientists, and technologists who are responsible for the design, development, and qualification of gas transfer systems for national security programs. Our work has three major components: scientific research, advanced component development, and engineering support of existing systems. Responsibilities include high‑pressure gas reservoir design, explosive component design, development of welding technologies, and investigating the effect of hydrogen isotopes in various materials. The department operates a high‑pressure testing facility and a welding/brazing facility. Our personnel routinely interact with other Sandia engineering and research groups, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, production agencies (located in Kansas City, Savannah River, and Texas), the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA), and the Department of War (DOW).

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.