Sandia National Laboratories

R&D Mechanical Engineer - Environmental Testing, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories$121K — $237K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in relevant discipline or equivalent experience in research and development.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain DOE Q-level security clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Review and implement test planning and execution.
  • Conduct environmental testing with support from technologists.
  • Troubleshoot and document test anomalies.
  • Maintain understanding of safety and security protocols.
  • Present results and needs to customers and management.
  • Lead initiatives for continuous improvement and new technology implementation.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on critical Nuclear Deterrence (ND) development.
  • Contribute to significant weapon stockpile and modernization programs at a national laboratory.
  • Collaboration within a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technologists.
  • Work in a fast-paced, agile environment with diverse test capabilities.
Full Job Description
What Your Job Will Be Like

We are seeking an R&D Mechanical Engineer to plan and conduct environmental tests including mechanical vibration, mechanical shock, acceleration, and thermal testing. These tests are used for the development and qualification of Nuclear Deterrence (ND) components, assemblies, and full systems. Additionally, there are opportunities to make characterization measurements such as inertial/mass properties and experimental modal analysis.

On any given day, you may:

  • Review and understand test planning and implement test execution.
  • Conduct environmental testing as described above, with technologists support.
  • Troubleshoot and document test anomalies.
  • Maintain understanding of safety and security relates to the operations and facility needs of the department.
  • Present results and needs to customers and management.
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives, including the development and implementation of new technologies and processes.

This opening provides an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated individual with a structural dynamics or environmental test background to make significant contributions to weapon stockpile and modernization programs at Sandia National Labs in California.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite 100% of the time at the Livermore, CA facility.

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

Salary Range

$121,900 - $237,800

*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, 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.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain DOE Q-level security clearance, or equivalent DoD clearance.


Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D Mechanical Engineer candidate 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, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:
  • A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and three (3) years of directly relevant experience.
  • Proficiency in Python, Matlab, C++, or another programming language
  • Experience with structural dynamics tests: vibration, shock, experimental modal analysis, or NVH
  • Experience with data acquisition, signal processing, accelerometers, load cells, laser Doppler vibrometers, computer vision, and other relevant sensors
  • Familiarity with test setups such as climatic chamber, drop tower, centrifuge, or mass property measurement
  • Ability to plan and execute tests in partnership with multiple stakeholders
  • An active DOE Q-level security clearance, or equivalent DoD clearance.


About Our Team

Our department consists of Engineers and technologists that provide environmental test capabilities and expertise for the Sandia California site in support of both ND mission partners and other programs. We are an agile group able to plan and conduct a wide range of different test and measurement capabilities from mechanical shaker-driven vibration tests, drop shock tests, centrifuge, climatic tests replicating extreme temperature and humidity environments, to measurement of mass properties quantities and experimental modal analysis.

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.

About Sandia National Laboratories

The Sandia National Laboratories is one of three National Nuclear Security Administration research and development laboratories in the United States, managed and operated privately by the National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia. Their primary mission is to develop, engineer, and test the non-nuclear components of nuclear weapons and high technology. Headquartered on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it also has a campus in Livermore, California, next to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and a test facility in Waimea, Kauai, Hawaii. It is Sandia's mission to maintain the reliability and surety of nuclear weapon systems, conduct research and development in arms control and nonproliferation technologies, and investigate methods for the disposal of the United States' nuclear weapons program's hazardous waste. Other missions include research and development in energy and environmental programs, as well as the surety of critical national infrastructures. In addition, Sandia is home to a wide variety of research including computational biology, mathematics, materials science, alternative energy, psychology, MEMS, and cognitive science initiatives. Sandia formerly hosted ASCI Red, one of the world's fastest supercomputers until its decommission in 2006, and now hosts ASCI Red Storm, originally known as Thor's Hammer. Sandia is also home to the Z Machine. The Z Machine is the largest X-ray generator in the world and is designed to test materials in conditions of extreme temperature and pressure. It is operated by Sandia National Laboratories to gather data to aid in computer modeling of nuclear weapons. In December 2016, it was announced that National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, under the direction of Honeywell International, would take over the management of Sandia National Laboratories starting on May 1, 2017. Educational opportunities are conducted in collaboration with university students through several programs, including the Securing Top Academic Research & Talent at Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program and the Sandia University Partnerships Network.
Learn more about Sandia National Laboratories
Industry
Founded
1948

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