Cleared Senior/Principal R&D Systems Engineer - Systems Execution Lead, Onsite
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, USA
Job posting number: #7330049 (Ref:Sa697697)
Posted: April 28, 2026
Job Description
About Sandia:
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
- Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
- Extraordinary co-workers
- Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
- Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
- Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
- Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.
What Your Job Will Be Like:
We are seeking a R&D Systems Engineer to join our dynamic team!
On any given day, you may be called on to:
- Plan, conduct, and complete engineering programs across a dynamic 5340 mission portfolio for Sandia's customers and sponsors.
- Write, track, and manage project requirements and risks.
- Perform and track evidence of Verification and Validation of requirements
- Plan and compete Test Readiness Reviews for project tests and system flights.
- Implement mission assurance plans across the project, group, and center.
- Serve as the primary representative to customers and partners for ND/SPP/SIPP programs through the negotiation, management, and delivery of all development requirements for several technologies.
- Establish positive relationships with key influencers across Sandia Laboratories and across many DOD agencies.
- Initiate, develop, and implement systems and processes while applying engineering judgment on several technologies.
- Understand the components and development processes for multiple technologies.
- Lead programs and teams in delivering a variety of technologies to meet customer and Sandia needs.
- Provide technical review of procedures, processes, and reports.
- Present at technical design reviews and programmatic meetings.
- Ability to travel and collaborate with external organizations and sites (<15% travel expected)
Due to the nature of work, successful candidate must be able to work onsite.
Salary Range:
$117,500 - $235,700
*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.
Qualifications We Require:
- A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
- Active Q clearance or equivalent and the ability to obtain an SCI, that may require a polygraph test.
Qualifications We Desire:
The ideal R&D S&E Systems Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:
- Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
- Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLNL) and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
- Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:
- Project leadership experience with demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and enable dynamic teams
- Experience working with DOE/NNSA/DOD/FFRDC directly in systems engineering
- Experience in implementing mission assurance processes
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate technical work performed simultaneously within internal and external organizations
- Experience reporting project metrics to management and external customers
- Experience in developing qualification programs and taking hardware through qualification to delivery
About Our Team:
The Radar ISR Systems Department (5343) operates within the Radar Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (Radar ISR) business area to develop and field high performance synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems, and to support various Nuclear Weapon (NW), National Security programs (NSP), homeland security, and interagency programs and R&D initiatives. The department
specializes in high performance design and deployment of ISR systems through robust partnerships and strong system engineering fundamentals.
Posting Duration:
This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.
Security Clearance:
Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.
EEO:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.
NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:
If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.
If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.
Job ID: 697697
Job Family: RD
Regular/Temporary Position: R
Full/Part-Time Status: F
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.


