Senior/Principal R&D Systems Engineer - Space-Based Remote Sensing Researcher, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 118,000 - 236,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Remote Sensing Researcher to provide technical leadership in space-based remote sensing research. The role requires solving complex problems, implementing new ideas, and conducting cutting-edge research.

The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. or Master’s with relevant experience and the ability to lead as a principal investigator within multidisciplinary teams. On-site work is required due to the nature of the work and facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline with 5+ years directly related experience (or equivalent).
• Ability to obtain a DOE Q clearance and SCI.
• Ph.D. or Master's with 2+ years of engineering/physics/optics/math focus and research experience.
• Desire for independent research leadership and ability to publish results.

Responsibilities

• Provide expertise and technical leadership in space-based remote sensing research.
• Solve complex problems and implement new ideas in research efforts.
• Conduct cutting-edge research and develop novel methods/proposals.
• Demonstrate ability to lead as a principal investigator and collaborate in multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Problem solving

Idea implementation

Cutting-edge research

PI leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Ph.D. or Master's in Engineering/Physics/Optics/Mathematics

Job description

About Sandia

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 are seeking a Remote Sensing Researcher with technical experience in areas such as signals processing, remote sensing, machine learning, or physics-based modeling and simulation to provide expertise and technical leadership in space-based remote sensing research.

The successful applicant will have strong skills and interests in;

• Solving complex problems
• Implementing new ideas
• Conducting cutting edge research.
• History of novel research and development proposals and have been principal investigator for their own work.

Due to the nature of this work the selected applicant must work onsite.

Salary Range

$117,500 - $235,700

• 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 a DOE Q clearance and SCI

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D S&E Systems Engineering candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
• Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

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

• Ph. D. or Master's degree with 2 years of experience in Engineering, Physics, Optics, Mathematics, or similar disciplines
• Research experience in remote sensing, data analysis, computational imaging, and/or algorithm development, or physics-based modeling and simulation
• Demonstrated ability to develop new methods and processes by identifying new approaches for solving complex and difficult technical problems.
• Proven ability to be self-motivated and work independently as well as in a multi-disciplinary team environment, building consensus and resolving issues
• Experience in modern programming practices and test-driven development practices (e.g. CI/CD)
• Research experience in remote sensing, data analysis, computational imaging, and/or algorithm development, or physics-based modeling and simulation
• Strong organization and planning skills and ability tackle more than one assignment at a time.
• Experience as a Principal Investigator or other technical leadership for a research and development project, involving proposal writing, planning and executing work, and publishing results.
• Desire to learn new skills as required and develop expertise in areas that may be unfamiliar
• Active Q and TS//SCI clearances

About Our Team

The Monitoring Systems & Technology Center (6700) has researched and developed new monitoring systems and technologies for over half a century. Building on that legacy, today we support national security missions involving nuclear proliferation detection, treaty monitoring, arms control, and various needs within the national security communities.

The Real-Time Computing Research Department (6776) supports Center 6700 missions of Space-based Remote Sensing and Nuclear Proliferation Detection. The department develops advanced algorithms and models for remote sensing applications in the National Security mission space. Our group investigates novel, real-time, and edge computing techniques for detection & classification. The core capabilities of the department are optimized digital processing, real-time decision algorithms including automatic target recognition and machine learning, high performance processing in resource constrained deployments, and embedded system performance modeling.

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.

Job ID: 697924
Job Family: RD
Regular/Temporary Position: R
Full/Part-Time Status: F