Test Lead Engineer (R&D Engineer 2/3)

Los Alamos National Security LLC; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 106,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental and vision

Tuition assistance

401(k) matching

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM seeks an R&D Engineer 2/3 to lead tests for development and qualification of LANL systems. You will plan, execute, and report tests, interfacing with customers and coordinating across disciplines to ensure milestones are met.

The role requires strong communication, test documentation, and safety compliance, with potential mentorship at the higher level and a Q clearance. On-site work in NM is expected.

Qualifications

• Proven experience communicating with customers in schedule, status, or budget updates.
• Experience authoring test requirements, plans and reports, or peer publications.
• Able to explain technical ideas to varied experience levels.
• Experience designing experiments or projects using the scientific method.
• Demonstrated test execution experience.
• Ability to coordinate interdisciplinary teams to meet milestones.
• Ability to manage technical details across STEM fields.
• Ensures safety and security compliance and training.

Responsibilities

• Author test requirements and plans, update schedule and status with customers.
• Coordinate service providers across the laboratory and assist test execution.
• Prepare data packages and final reports as evidence of tests.
• Interface with customers for strategic test planning and outcomes.

Skills

Customer communication

Test documentation

Explain technical ideas

Experiments design

Test execution

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Technical detail management

Safety compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

Job description

What You Will Do

This position will be filled at either the R&D Engineer 2 or 3 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

Missions Concepts (E-2) is a new group within the Engineering division of Los Alamos that assists with mission realization and developing advanced R&D concepts for the weapons complex. As part of the mission realization focus, E-2 proves test leads to other organizations within our areas of expertise in radiation sciences and advanced manufacturing. Test activities will include multidisciplinary, enterprise-wide collaboration, including involvement with joint test operations at Sandia National Laboratories, and experiments performed throughout the complex. Core roles in this position include authoring test requirements and plans, regularly interfacing with internal and external customers to update schedule and status, coordination of the efforts of service providers across the laboratory, assisting in test execution, and reporting at the completion of the test. A successful candidate in this role is customer oriented, comfortable leading, committed to successful test outcomes and has exceptional communications skills.

R&D Engineer 2 ($106,400 - $176,000)

At the R&D Engineer 2 level, you will function in the test lead role in support of a development, qualification, or surveillance test for LANL systems groups of other nuclear security enterprise partners. You will interface regularly with your customer, plan and schedule work in support of the goals of the test, participate in the execution of the test, and prepare test evidence in the form of data packages and final reports.

R&D Engineer 3 ($128,000 - $215,900)

In addition to what was outlined at the R&D 2 level, as a R&D Engineer 3, you will be required to provide technical leadership and mentorship to other test leads on the team and interface with customers to engage in strategic planning for future tests.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Proven experience communicating effectively with customers in one or more of the following (both oral and written format): schedule communication, project/program status updates, or spending/budget reports
• Experience authoring and publishing formal test related documents, such as test requirements (TR), test plan (TP) and test reports (TR) and/or peer reviewed publications.
• Ability to explain technical ideas, concepts, procedures, and requirements to employees of all experience levels.
• Experience designing experiments or projects leveraging principles of the scientific method.
• Demonstrated experience in test execution.
• Demonstrated experience interfacing with and integrating the efforts of interdisciplinary teams to achieve program milestones and deliverable due dates.
• Ability to effectively manage and understand technical details over a large range of STEM fields.
• Assures safety and security compliance, maintains required safety and security training, and makes safety and security an integral part of every task, including taking the necessary steps to stop work if continuing the job is unsafe or compromises security.

Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 3:

• Direct experience in the test, qualification, product realization team (PRT) lead role or equivalent lead role at LANL or in the defense or manufacturing industry.
• Demonstrated ability to work largely independently and provide mentorship to staff newer to the test lead role.

Education/Experience at lower level:

Position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Education/Experience at higher level:

Position requires a Master's degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience coordinating radiation testing with reactors or high-flux sources.
• Familiarity with nuclear science and radiation sensing.
• Familiarity with LANL design agency quality (DAQ) policy documents.
• Experience in the development of complex systems and knowledge of the system engineering process, including model-based system engineering (MBSE)
• Experience working with or around hazardous materials including participation in the development or authorship of safety bases.
• Experience mentoring new and/or junior staff or students.
• Active Q clearance or equivalent.

Work Location:

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

Position commitment:

Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

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

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance

Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad. *Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test

The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

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 spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to [e-mail] or call (505)-664-6947.