Warhead Design R&D Engineer (R&D Engineer 2/3)

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

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory seeks Warhead Design Engineer to guide the Warhead Subsystem across its life cycle, collaborating with System Engineering Directors, QTE, and external partners. You will perform FMEA, support verifications, and help craft certification plans while partnering with LANL and industry teams.

The role requires leading cross-disciplinary engineers, ensuring interface and requirement integration, and engaging with key DoD and DoE stakeholders to deliver safe and reliable

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or higher required.
• Experience with systems engineering principles and cross-functional teams.
• Strong writing, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to adapt to evolving scope and priorities.
• Willingness to travel for technical and programmatic interactions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support full life cycle development of the Warhead Subsystem.
• Perform FMEA and support verification and requirements traceability.
• Coordinate with design, drafting, and analysis teams to meet system requirements.
• Interact with stakeholders from NNSA, Navy, SNL, and Launch partners.

Skills

Systems engineering

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Technical writing

Travel readiness

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering

Master's Degree in Engineering

Tools

Creo CAD

Job description

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

This is an opportunity to be part of the first new weapon system program in over 30 years. Q-20, W93/Mk7 Systems Development and Realization Group, defines, develops, and fields the warhead system for the newest Navy sub-launched ballistic missile weapon program. We support the DoD/Navy SSP and DoE/NNSA customers in defining the mission need and corresponding technical and programmatic requirements. The W93 collaborates closely with Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Lockheed Martin Space design agencies, developing the re-entry system, ensuring safe, secure, & reliable warhead performance and a relevant nuclear deterrent. Q-20 also incorporates the production agency teams (KCNSC, Pantex, SRS, Y-12, LANL, and SNL) tightly into the design, qualification, and realization processes.

As a Warhead Design Engineer, you will work in close concert with the System Engineering Director, the W93 Qualification, Test, and Evaluation (QTE) team, Q-20 systems engineers, product realization teams, and physicists. Your responsibilities will span the full life cycle of the systems development process, supporting the design development of the Warhead Subsystem. This includes performing Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), leading and documenting technical down-selects, supporting requirements traceability and verification (RQ-R, RQ-V), providing input to the certification plan (CQ), and collaborating with the design, drafting, and analysis teams to develop solutions that meet system requirements.

Working closely with colleagues across LANL, you will help ensure component interfaces and requirements are fully integrated across the system. The role also includes direct interaction with key stakeholders, including representatives from NNSA, the U.S. Navy, Sandia National Laboratories, and Lockheed Martin Space. In partnership with teams at Sandia National Laboratories and Lockheed Martin Space, you will contribute to the design of the re-entry system and help ensure the W93 warhead delivers safe, secure, and reliable performance in support of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

This is an opportunity to be part of the first new weapon system program in over 30 years. Q-20, W93/Mk7 Systems Development and Realization Group, defines, develops, and fields the warhead system for the newest Navy sub-launched ballistic missile weapon program. We support the DoD/Navy SSP and DoE/NNSA customers in defining the mission need and corresponding technical and programmatic requirements. The W93 collaborates closely with Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Lockheed Martin Space design agencies, developing the re-entry system, ensuring safe, secure, & reliable warhead performance and a relevant nuclear deterrent. Q-20 also incorporates the production agency teams (KCNSC, Pantex, SRS, Y-12, LANL, and SNL) tightly into the design, qualification, and realization processes.

As a Warhead Design Engineer, you will work in close concert with the System Engineering Director, the W93 Qualification, Test, and Evaluation (QTE) team, Q-20 systems engineers, product realization teams, and physicists. Your responsibilities will span the full life cycle of the systems development process, supporting the design development of the Warhead Subsystem. This includes performing Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), leading and documenting technical down-selects, supporting requirements traceability and verification (RQ-R, RQ-V), providing input to the certification plan (CQ), and collaborating with the design, drafting, and analysis teams to develop solutions that meet system requirements.

Working closely with colleagues across LANL, you will help ensure component interfaces and requirements are fully integrated across the system. The role also includes direct interaction with key stakeholders, including representatives from NNSA, the U.S. Navy, Sandia National Laboratories, and Lockheed Martin Space. In partnership with teams at Sandia National Laboratories and Lockheed Martin Space, you will contribute to the design of the re-entry system and help ensure the W93 warhead delivers safe, secure, and reliable performance in support of the nation’s nuclear deterrent.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements

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

• Demonstrated knowledge of systems engineering principles.
• Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Strong technical writing, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to identify technical issues and recommend novel engineering solutions
• Adaptable to evolving work scope and priorities
• Ability to support frequent travel for technical and programmatic interactions
• Lead technical down-selection process / Communicate W93 needs to tech mat
• Define data needs for analysis/test (contribute to CQ)
• Formally capture the design basis
• Understand and incorporate physics needs into design
• Understand and influence parent requirements for component
• Direct designers' technical work

R&D Engineer 3 $128,00 - $215,900

• Experience leading technical teams across organizational boundaries.
• Experience developing complex system designs and negotiating interfaces
• Experience planning and executing design development activities across multiple projects and organizations.
• Experience with scoping test and analysis series in support of system validation/verification efforts

In addition to the requirements listed above

• Experience leading technical teams across organizational boundaries.
• Experience developing complex system designs and negotiating interfaces
• Experience planning and executing design development activities across multiple projects and organizations.
• Experience with scoping test and analysis series in support of system validation/verification efforts

Desired Qualifications

• Proficiency with PTC CREO parametric modeling software or other CAD programs
• Knowledge of GD&T standards and practices
• Familiarity with engineering analysis
• Detailed knowledge of nuclear weapon systems and delivery vehicles
• Understanding of NNSA and DoD qualification processes
• Experience with conflict resolution
• Active Q clearance, which normally requires US citizenship

Education/Experience for R&D Engineer 2

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 R&D Engineer 3

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