Weapons Test Scientist - Experimental Design & Validation

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 106,000 - 176,000; Full time

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM seeks a Weapons Test Scientist to plan, execute, and analyze experiments supporting stockpile stewardship. You will work with interdisciplinary teams across national labs and partner organizations to validate weapon designs and validate performance through investigations, tests, and evaluations.

The role encompasses planning, coordinating, and executing complex tests, developing objectives and procedures, and communicating results to customers and

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience applying scientific principles to experimental design, testing, analysis, or validation activities.
• Experience planning, conducting, or supporting laboratory, field, engineering, or physics-based experiments.
• Ability to analyze complex technical problems and develop practical solutions.
• Experience interpreting and communicating scientific or technical data.
• Understanding of systems-level thinking and the integration of multidisciplinary technical activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience preparing technical reports, presentations, publications, or formal documentation.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to audiences with varying levels of expertise.
• Experience collaborating with customers, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience coordinating activities across multiple organizations or technical disciplines.
• Ability to balance competing priorities while maintaining project objectives and schedules.
• Commitment to safety, security, quality, and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning development, qualification, surveillance, or validation experiments.
• Develop test objectives, requirements, procedures, and technical documentation.
• Coordinate activities across organizations to ensure test execution.
• Participate in experiment design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Communicate technical status and results to customers, stakeholders, and team members.
• Contribute to project planning, scheduling, and resource coordination.
• Receive mentorship and build leadership skills.
• Lead significant portions of complex test programs when appropriate.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior staff.
• Interface with customers and senior stakeholders to define future testing needs.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams in high-visibility experiments.

Skills

Scientific principles

Experimental design

Laboratory experiments

Data analysis

Systems thinking

Technical communication

Technical reporting

Cross-disciplinary teamwork

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Project coordination

Prioritization

Safety & quality

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Master's degree in STEM

Job description

Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, NM seeks a Weapons Test Scientist to plan, execute, and analyze experiments supporting stockpile stewardship. You will work with interdisciplinary teams across national labs and partner organizations to validate weapon designs and validate performance through investigations, tests, and evaluations.

The role encompasses planning, coordinating, and executing complex tests, developing objectives and procedures, and communicating results to customers and