Sandia National Laboratories

Senior/Principal Electromechanical Technologist - RF Signatures, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories$74K — $144K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Associate degree in engineering, physics, or relevant STEM field, or high school diploma with 4 years experience.
  • One or more years operating laboratory instrumentation for data collection and analysis.
  • Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q clearance.

Responsibilities

  • Develop, build, operate, and maintain RF electronic equipment for field-testing campaigns.
  • Travel to remote locations for prolonged periods to support data collection.
  • Collaborate with technical staff and customers to define objectives and track deliverables.
  • Assist with property management, environmental health and safety issues, and documentation requirements.
  • Engage in advanced laboratory work on evolving projects through problem-solving and critical thinking.

Benefits

  • Engagement in challenging projects with opportunities for professional growth.
  • Collaboration with a team of scientists and engineers.
  • Hands-on experience with advanced experimental equipment.
  • Opportunity for extensive field-testing in diverse remote environments.
  • Contribution to national security and nonproliferation efforts.
Full Job Description
What Your Job Will Be Like

The Weaponization and Geophysics R&D Team is seeking a highly motivated electromechanical Technologist to develop, build, operate, and maintain a variety of radio frequency (RF) electronic equipment designed to be deployed both locally and at remote locations in support of field-testing campaigns. Field campaigns are an integral part of the job and will require travel for multiple weeks over the course of the year to remote locations.

The candidate will be encouraged to meet changing priorities in support of the team. The technologist will work in an advanced laboratory with challenging and evolving projects. The technologist must have a commitment to investigative problem solving and a strong desire to learn. Attention to detail, critical thinking, good lab practices, and awareness for lab safety are highly valued attributes of the successful candidate.

Work in collaboration with technical staff and customers to determine objectives, communicate progress, and assure that deliverables are met. The Technologist will be encouraged to gain mastery over the maintenance and operation of a range of experimental equipment including electronic instruments such as antennas, oscilloscopes, custom-designed RF systems, and National Instruments equipment.

Much of the work will occur as part of a team of scientists and engineers. Proven track record of collaborating as part of a team is a key attribute needed to succeed. There will be frequent interactions with a variety of results-oriented staff members, technologists, safety personnel, facilities, and service engineers. The technologist will be encouraged to assist with property management duties, assist in environmental health and safety issues, work documentation, and chemical inventories.

In this role, you will have the chance to make important contributions in support of the Department's growing research activities.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite and will be required to travel to partner laboratories and test sites in support of data collection field campaigns. This travel is often for multiple weeks at a time, for several separate tests over the course of a year.

Salary Range

$74,700 - $144,400

*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

  • Associate degree in engineering, physics, or relevant science, technology, or mathematics (STEM) field, or high school diploma plus 4 years experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • One or more years of experience with the operation of laboratory instrumentation including both hardware and software to perform data collection and analysis.
  • The ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q clearance


Qualifications We Desire

This position will require rigorous training and the candidate should be results-oriented and self-motivated. Additionally, desired qualifications include one or more of the following skills, interests, or aptitudes:
  • A bachelor's degree in physics, engineering, or a related field
  • Knowledge or experience with
    • LabVIEW programming and operation of National Instruments hardware and software
    • electronic RF collection systems, spectrum analysis, and RF signal generation
    • lasers and optical setups and alignments
    • MATLAB or other programming language to process and display data
    • computer aided design software such as SolidWorks
    • RF systems design
    • circuit design and construction
    • laboratory set-up, health and safety concerns, lab maintenance activities and working with hazardous chemicals
    • pressure and vacuum systems including design, installation, and maintenance
    • forklifts
  • Ability to learn and master new techniques as needed
  • Effective interpersonal and oral/written communication skills and the flexibility for effective participation in teams
  • Ability to work independently and self-sufficiently with high reliability and attention to detail as part of a larger team effort
  • Ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects demonstrating good time and organizational skills.
  • The ability to travel 12 weeks per year, as necessary.


About Our Team

The Proliferation Detection Programs Group (6750) addresses critical challenges in nuclear nonproliferation (such as proliferation detection, international safeguards, and warhead monitoring), radiological emergency response, underground test monitoring, and other national security priorities. Group 6750 is responsible for the Proliferation Detection Program at Sandia, which brings the capabilities from ~17 Centers across the lab, developing low TRL technologies for successful maturation and transition to other programs for mission impact. Within Group 6750, Weaponization and Geophysics R&D (6754) holds responsibility for sensing/monitoring of Weaponization facility activities, HE experimental campaigns, and multiple modalities in geophysical monitoring including infrasound, seismo-acoustic, and RF expertise.

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
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1948

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