DescriptionJob Title Reliability/Maintenance Engineer (R&D Engineer 2/3)
Location Los Alamos, NM, US
Organization Name DP-IPO/Detonator Production - Infrastructure Planning Office
Minimum Salary
Maximum Salary
This position is open for external candidates only to apply. What You Will Do This position will be filled at either the R&D Engineer 2 or R&D Engineer 3 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. As a Cognizant Systems Engineer, you will support the Infrastructure Planning Office (IPO) and act as the "equipment owner" for DP programmatic equipment. This will include researching and documenting preventive maintenance (PM) recommendations from manufacturers and industry standards, developing PM work instructions, leading trouble shooting and repair following equipment failure, and developing corrective maintenance instructions as needed. This is a highly visible opportunity to shape DP's equipment reliability strategy, strengthen operational performance, and uphold world-class standards in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment.
R&D Engineer 2 ($106,400-$176,600) In this role, you will:
- Support the reliability and availability of Detonator Production (DP) programmatic equipment and systems.
- Develop, review, and implement risk-based preventive maintenance strategies that align with manufacturer recommendations, equipment criticality, performance data, and field experience.
- Evaluate preventive maintenance frequency, duration, and effectiveness in collaboration with planners, schedulers, production personnel, and maintenance teams.
- Conduct preventive maintenance audits and recommend improvements based on work-order history, failure trends, equipment condition, and operational risk.
- Identify and manage reliability risks that could adversely affect equipment operation, availability, or mission deliverables.
- Investigate equipment and system failures and support the development of corrective actions using recognized root-cause analysis methods, such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and fishbone diagrams.
- Analyze data and performance metrics-including downtime, uptime, schedule adherence, and recurring failures-to improve equipment reliability and maintenance effectiveness.
- Structure and maintain asset hierarchies within the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), ensuring equipment tags, locations, specifications, and bills of material are accurate, complete, and standardized.
- Apply engineering principles to support system configuration, equipment upgrades, maintenance method development, design reviews, and operational and maintenance readiness.
- Prepare technical specifications for equipment and services, evaluate vendor proposals, and support procurement activities through technical reviews and documentation.
- Develop system health reports that communicate equipment condition, system status, reliability risks, and availability metrics.
- Collaborate across the DP enterprise with production personnel, maintenance teams, quality assurance organizations, engineers, management, and internal and external customers to support program success.
R&D Engineer 3 ($128,000-$215,900) In addition to the responsibilities outlined at the lower level, the R&D Engineer 3 will:
- Serve as a technical lead for complex equipment reliability and maintenance initiatives, providing technical direction and independently resolving challenging or high-consequence issues.
- Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of risk-based preventive maintenance and asset reliability strategies across multiple equipment systems or program areas.
- Lead complex equipment failure investigations and root-cause analyses, develop corrective action strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness in preventing recurrence.
- Establish performance measures, analyze equipment and maintenance trends, and provide strategic recommendations to improve system availability, lifecycle performance, and operational readiness.
- Provide technical leadership for equipment upgrades, system configuration changes, design reviews, procurements, and readiness activities.
- Develop and implement standards and best practices for asset hierarchies, CMMS data quality, reliability analysis, technical documentation, and system health reporting.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to less-experienced engineers and other personnel while promoting consistent reliability and maintenance practices.
- Represent the organization on multidisciplinary teams and communicate complex technical risks, recommendations, and decisions to management, customers, and other stakeholders.
This position is ideal for an engineer who thrives in complex environments and wants to make a direct impact on equipment reliability, operational excellence, and mission success.
What You Need Minimum Job Requirements: Equipment Reliability and Maintenance - In-depth knowledge of and demonstrated experience with equipment reliability and maintenance.
- Working knowledge of preventive maintenance development principles, maintenance task analysis, and failure-mode mitigation.
- Knowledge of maintenance work planning and control processes.
Engineering Analysis and Problem-Solving - Demonstrated experience identifying equipment performance problems, investigating potential solutions, and determining appropriate corrective actions.
- Sound knowledge of the mathematical and engineering principles used to evaluate equipment and system performance.
Safety Standards and Compliance - In-depth understanding of work-hazard evaluations, safety practices, and operating configurations.
- Understanding of applicable industry standards, LANL protocols, and DOE/NNSA compliance requirements.
Asset Management and Technical Documentation - Basic understanding of asset hierarchy standards, such as ISO 14224 or equivalent, and experience managing asset master data within a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Proficiency in preparing technical documentation and reports and using software tools for engineering and maintenance analysis.
Communication: - Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills as evidenced by internal and/or external interactions, seminars, briefings, presentations, and publications.
- Effective interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to interact with all levels of personnel and customers.
Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 3: In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requ
ires:
Equipment Reliability and Maintenance - Advanced knowledge of equipment reliability and maintenance principles, practices, and strategies, with demonstrated experience applying them to complex equipment and systems.
- Demonstrated experience leading the development, implementation, and optimization of preventive maintenance programs, including maintenance task analysis and failure-mode mitigation.
- Advanced knowledge of maintenance work planning and control processes and demonstrated experience improving maintenance effectiveness and equipment availability.
Engineering Analysis and Problem-Solving - Demonstrated ability to independently identify and analyze complex equipment performance issues, evaluate potential solutions, and develop and implement appropriate corrective actions.
- Advanced knowledge of mathematical and engineering principles used to assess equipment and system performance, reliability, and lifecycle needs.
- Demonstrated experience providing technical direction, recommendations, or leadership in support of equipment reliability and maintenance activities.
Safety, Standards, and Compliance - Advanced knowledge of work-hazard evaluations, safety practices, operating configurations, and the integration of safety requirements into maintenance and reliability activities.
- Thorough understanding of applicable industry standards, LANL policies and procedures, and DOE/NNSA regulatory and compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated experience ensuring technical activities, recommendations, and documentation comply with applicable safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
Asset Management and Technical Documentation - Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, or maintaining asset hierarchies in accordance with recognized standards, such as ISO 14224 or equivalent.
- Advanced experience managing and evaluating asset master data within a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Demonstrated proficiency in developing high-quality technical documentation, analyses, and reports and in using software tools to support complex engineering and maintenance evaluations.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical information and recommendations to multidisciplinary teams, management, and other stakeholders.
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 2: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 3: Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred.
Desired Qualifications: - Demonstrated experience supporting or leading diverse operational teams, such as reliability engineers.
- Experience executing work in compliance with facility requirements.
- Knowledgeable of Integrated Work Management (IWM) and integrated safety and security management (ISSM) procedures.
- Experience with moderate/high hazard facility operating requirements
- Knowledge and understanding of Conduct of Maintenance, Conduct of Operations, and/or Conduct of Engineering programs.
- Experience in high-stakes, mission-critical environments, with an emphasis on safety, security, continuous improvement, and technical excellence.
- Active DOE Q Clearance
Note to Applicants: 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.
For full consideration, please include a comprehensive resume that addresses how you meet the minimum job requirements, and any of the desired skills of the position.
Physical Job Requirements: Color discrimination , depth perception, reading vision, ability to speak, discriminate speech, hear high pitched sounds, ability to smell, ability to hear in a normal range (500-3000 GHz). Sitting, walking , standing, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, twisting the trunk or back, balancing. Reaching overhead, horizontally, down, typing or keyboarding, use of both hands, both arms, both legs and both feet. Lifting and carrying 5-10 pounds.
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.
