Welding/Brazing (R&D Scientist 2)

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance (PPO/HMO)

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Parental leave

401(k) with matching

Tuition assistance

PTO and holidays

Onsite gyms

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory's Sigma Division seeks a Research and Development Scientist to advance welding and joining research. You will contribute to high energy density welding, brazing, and solid-state joining, guiding projects from concept to prototype while collaborating with a wide network of programs and external partners.

The role emphasizes leadership in solidification metallurgy, safety, and mentorship, with opportunities to influence mission-critical national security and

Qualifications

• Solidification metallurgy expertise with ability to lead technically.
• Experience leading R&D in welding/joining areas.
• Proven proposal development experience for innovative welding solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple R&D projects in welding and joining.
• Communicate results to diverse stakeholders and secure funding.
• Collaborate with internal programs and external partners across labs and universities.

Skills

Solidification metallurgy

Proposal leadership

Cross-disciplinary teamwork

Technical writing

Mentoring

Safety culture

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Job description

What You Will Do

The Sigma Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a Research and Development Scientist to join our Welding and Joining team-a dynamic group at the forefront of advanced manufacturing and materials science.

In this role, you will contribute to cutting-edge research and development in high energy density welding, arc welding, brazing, and solid-state joining technologies that support critical national security and scientific missions. You'll work on complex, real-world challenges ranging from weld distortion and residual stress to process optimization, leveraging both experimental and computational modeling approaches.

We are looking for a scientist with a strong foundation in solidification metallurgy and a passion for applying scientific and engineering principles to develop innovative, practical solutions. This position offers the opportunity to lead impactful R&D efforts, support production across the NNSA complex, and drive improvements in welding and joining processes.

You will collaborate with a wide range of partners, including internal programs in weapons, alternative energy, and global security, as well as external collaborators across universities, industry, and other national laboratories. This is a highly visible role with opportunities to influence both research direction and mission outcomes.

Sigma Division specializes in manufacturing science and metallurgical processes, supporting experimental programs at Los Alamos. The Welding & Joining team works closely with other technical groups to solve complex manufacturing challenges and deliver high-quality prototype and limited production components. Our work spans a broad range of materials-from hydrogen to uranium-and includes both unclassified and classified efforts.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop and lead multiple research projects, communicate results to diverse stakeholders, and play a key role in securing funding through proposals and work packages. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated scientist to grow into a technical leader while contributing to nationally significant work.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements

• Demonstrated expertise in solidification metallurgy, with the ability to serve as a technical lead in this area.
• Proven experience leading research and development activities in one or more of the following: high energy density welding, vacuum furnace or induction brazing, and semi-automatic or manual arc welding.
• Demonstrated ability to lead or significantly contribute to proposal development efforts, particularly for innovative welding solutions addressing complex technical challenges.
• Experience working in integrated, cross-disciplinary teams to design, develop, and fabricate experimental assemblies aligned with customer or programmatic needs.
• Strong record of technical writing, including authorship or significant contribution to peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience mentoring junior staff, postdoctoral researchers, or students in research and/or manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated commitment to safety and security, including maintaining required training and integrating safety and security practices into all work activities.

Education/Experience

Positions requires a Bachelor' degree in a STEM field from an accredited college and university and 4 years of related experience, typically with post-doctoral research experience at a university or national lab or equivalent experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications

• Active Q Level clearance
• Experience in any of the following areas: arc welding (gas tungsten or gas metal arc welding), brazing, solid state welding, other welding/joining methods, is desired, but not required.
• Experience with weld evaluation including destructive testing and mechanical testing.
• Familiarity with non-destructive testing, visual inspection, and metallurgical characterization techniques.

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.

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.

Where You Will Work

• 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)

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

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.