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 highly motivated Mechanical Engineer to join the W76-1 Joint Test Assembly (JTA) Weapon System Team. In this role, you will contribute to the mechanical design, development, and qualification of the new instrumented JTA flight test body for the W76-1 weapon systems.

You will engage in a diverse range of engineering activities, including assembling system-level assets, coordinating and planning tests, managing product definition and documentation flow, integrating systems, supporting production, and interfacing with design teams. Your work will involve close collaboration with internal Sandia teams as well as external partners at LANL, KCNSC, Pantex, NNSA, and Navy SP-28.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Develop a detailed understanding of customer requirements and support their maturation and translation into system-level configurations.
• Assemble and integrate mechanical, system, and subsystem assemblies.
• Integrate and test subassemblies and system configurations.
• Plan and execute testing for environmental, performance, and safety qualification, with significant coordination of activities at Sandia Mechanical test facilities.
• Analyze system-level test data and support anomaly resolution with critical thinking and problem-solving.
• Manage product definition, release documentation created by design teams, and ensure proper authorization and distribution through Sandia¿s drawing and authorization systems.

As a successful candidate, you will gain intimate knowledge of the detailed function of W76-1 nuclear weapon components, subsystems, and systems. You will also develop a broad understanding of the entire product realization lifecycle¿from concept exploration and design through development, qualification, production, and sustainment.

Due to the nature of this work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite and travel occasionally (up to 25% of the time).

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 DOE Q Clearance or equivalent is required to start

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D Mechanical Engineer for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience with mechanical engineering and product realization in the NNSA complex.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Self-motivated, positive individual comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and collaborating effectively across multiple technical teams and management.
• Experience applying engineering principles to conduct trade studies and identify system solutions.
• Previous experience with JTA development programs and a solid background in nuclear weapons lifecycle and Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) processes.
• Proficient in test instrumentation, test planning, defining test objectives and methods, and building test bodies or developing procedures for test artifact fabrication.
• Familiarity with Sandia Mechanical test facilities (e.g., Shock/Vibe Lab, Centrifuge Facility) and experience coordinating testing activities.
• Knowledge of Sandia¿s drawing and authorization systems, product development and qualification processes, testing and evaluation, as well as modeling and simulation.
• Skilled in mechanical design tools such as CREO.
• Experience working with NNSA, Department of Defense customers and contractors, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), and Pantex.

About Our Team:

The Flight Systems Engineering department is responsible for the development of flight test assets for the nuclear weapon systems within the NM stockpile. Our primary focus is on creating Joint Test Assemblies (JTAs), which are essential for collecting performance data on nuclear weapon components during flight. JTAs are designed to simulate system configurations that closely resemble war reserve conditions, ensuring that critical interfaces are maintained. This design philosophy allows us to effectively assess the reliability and safety of the components.

To achieve our objectives, we employ a disciplined systems engineering approach that addresses the diverse needs of various applications and customers. Our team collaborates across Sandia and with other NSE partners to ensure solutions are delivered within achievable technical capabilities and programmatic constraints.

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: 697741

Job Family: RD

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F