What You Will Do

Join the best and brightest minds in the world at one of the most innovative and creative multidisciplinary research institutions engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. The work we do at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) matters to our country and the world.

The Weapons Production directorate (ALDWP) is seeking highly qualified R&D Engineers (Mechanical, Electrical and Chemical Engineers), to support important national security missions at LANL, working in the Actinide Material Processing and Power Division (AMPP). AMPP Division leads and executes various key missions to support our nation's security and space endeavors as we produce the next generation of nuclear engineers and scientists. We proudly support Pu-238 science and manufacturing for NASA and their exploration programs, various Defense Programs, the Advanced Recovery and Integrated Extraction System (ARIES) for nuclear non-proliferation, the Material Recovery & Recycle (MR&R) to enable the future of plutonium missions, and Americium production to support well logging for the United States.

This role works in a team environment within LANL's nuclear facility to manufacture product, support material movement and support glove box operations. The majority of daily work is "hands-on" glove box work in support of plutonium processing. Processes at Los Alamos National Lab are performed using detailed operating procedures and work requires extensive knowledge and expertise following Conduct of Operations, nuclear criticality safety, material control and accountability, radiological safety and environmental compliance requirements.

This position will be filled at either the R&D Engineer 1 or R&D Engineer 2 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.

R&D Engineer 1 ($90,000 - $147,100)

You will perform the following duties and responsibilities:

• Serve as a contributing member of an MR&R, ARIES, or Pu-238 process to address engineering challenges.
• Contribute to the research, design, testing, analysis, verification, and validation of engineering and technology solutions in support of R&D and operations initiatives.
• Develop new methods, technologies, and analysis techniques for institutional programs and process improvements for existing operations.
• Ensure programmatic objectives through engineering support to successfully complete milestones.
• Independently present specific aspects of engineering assignments at project meetings to coworkers and management personnel.
• Adapt to evolving R&D requirements while meeting safety, security, compliance, and schedule imperatives.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary groups throughout the laboratory.
• Participate in professional development and mentorship opportunities to enhance your engineering career.

R&D Engineer 2 ($99,200 - $164,100)

You will perform the following duties and responsibilities in addition to what was outlined at the lower level:

• Lead the research, design, and testing of engineering and technology solutions in support of R&D initiatives.
• Apply broad and diversified knowledge of engineering principles to implement sound engineering practices to achieve organizational objectives.
• Develop and review technical procedures to ensure work is executed safely and securely while meeting product requirements.
• Mentor junior process engineers.

What You Need

• Basic knowledge of professional engineering concepts, principles, practices, and procedures; demonstrated through experience researching, designing, testing, analyzing, verifying, and validating engineering solutions.
• Basic analytical thinking skills, as demonstrated by experience designing and executing experiments, including analyzing and interpreting data. This includes a commitment to high quality and timeliness of deliverables.
• Experience performing a broad range of complex engineering work, including experience designing a complete project, system, or component through courses or experience.
• The ability to work independently and with a team in high-intensity environments with coworkers representing a variety of technical backgrounds and the ability to express ideas clearly, and in ways that build understanding, respect, and trust, as demonstrated through presentations and publications.

Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 2:

• In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requires:
• Thorough knowledge of and experience in one or more of the following engineering disciplines: mechanical; materials science; chemical; metallurgical or other R&D engineering fields.
• Thorough knowledge of and experience in designing; planning; and executing research and development projects.
• Excellent written communication skills are required.
• The ability to recognize technical problems, analysis, and testing to generate suitable solutions and effectively document and communicate results.
• Will be asked to take on leadership roles and mentor other process engineers.

Education/Experience at lower level: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET accredited institution related to the occupation combined with 2 years of related experience.

Education/Experience at higher level: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

DOE Order 426.2: Requires a Bachelor of Science degree in science or engineering or related science, 2 years of job-related experience and 1 year of nuclear experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated knowledge or experience working in a manufacturing or production organization requiring implementation of defined manufacturing, testing, and quality requirements.
• Knowledge and experience with system and subsystem qualification testing and/or analysis.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Conduct of Operations.
• Willingness to take initiative on new tasks or projects
• Design to manufacturing experience
• Technical writing consisting of project proposals, technical research, and summary presentations.
• Active HRP certification.
• Active DOE Q clearance.

Work Environment:

Location: This position will be located in Los Alamos, NM.





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.

Note to Applicants:

• For full consideration, submit a comprehensive resume reflective of your relevant experience to the job requirements and desired skills stated above.
• Evaluation of applications will commence immediately.
• This is a reoccurring job ad that does not have a date it will close.
• While the posted salary range for this position is broad, it is highly unusual for selected applicants to be hired at the top end of the range and more common for the selected candidates to grown into the full salary band over time.

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)
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). Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance which requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon position, additional authorization to access nuclear weapons information may be required that may or may not be available to dual citizens depending upon the circumstances.

• 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.

HRP: This position is subject to the requirements of the DOE Human Reliability Program as specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulation, Part 712, §712.11. These requirements include on going drug and alcohol testing, as well as periodic medical and psychological evaluations.

426.2: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.

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.

Regular position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or preference, 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 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 applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.
Employment StatusFull Time