What Your Job Will Be LikeThe Applied Optical and Plasma Sciences Department is seeking an R&D Laboratory Support Technologist. In this role, you will collaborate and support staff scientists in developing and improving diagnostics to examine low temperature plasmas and fundamental processes in electrical breakdown using pressure systems, high-voltage, and lasers in a variety of detection schemes. This role will include working with students and postdocs and assisting in external collaborations.
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 the ability to work in collaboration with technical staff and customers to determine objectives, communicate progress, and assure that deliverables are met. 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.
The technologist will be encouraged to gain mastery over the operation and maintenance of a range of experimental equipment including vacuum and gas pressure systems, high voltage systems, tunable pulsed lasers, intensified cameras, spectrometers, and custom control software.
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 candidate must be able to work onsite.
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's degree in Engineering, Physics, or relevant STEM field or high school diploma plus four (4) years of relevant work experience
- Experience designing, installing, or maintaining vacuum or pressure or laser systems
- Design, construction, and safe operation of high voltage circuits, such as pulsed, RF, or DC systems
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance
Qualifications We Desire- Bachelor's degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field
- Knowledge or experience with one or more of the following:
- Experience designing, constructing, and operating plasma systems such as pulsed, RF, and DC discharges, dielectric barrier discharges, and high-voltage arcs
- Experience operating and maintaining lasers including CW, tunable, and nanosecond, picosecond, or femtosecond pulsed lasers
- Vacuum and pressure system design and construction optical setup and alignment
- Operating lab instrumentation, including hardware and software for data collection and analysis.
- LabVIEW programming and operation with hardware
- MATLAB or other programming language to process and display data computer aided design software
- Laboratory set-up, safety, and maintenance activities
- Working with hazardous chemicals - Proven ability to learn and master new techniques
- Interpersonal and communication skills and flexibility for effective participation in teams
- Reliability and attention to detail to deliver high quality results self-sufficiently
- Organizational and time management abilities to work multiple projects simultaneously
- Dedication to investigative problem solving and a strong desire to learn
- Crtical thinking, good lab practices, and awareness for lab safety
About Our TeamThe Applied Optical and Plasma Sciences department operates as a nexus of multidisciplinary experts leveraging fundamental science to address mission-focused needs. We create new capabilities using data science, models and simulation, and diagnostic instruments. The team's range of scientific expertise encompasses multiple disciplines including material interactions and characterization, optical diagnostic development, plasma science, data ontology development, and thermal performance of materials and interfaces. Department personnel lead and collaborate on project teams with departments and sponsors across multiple Centers and Divisions.
Posting DurationThis 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 ClearanceSandia is required by DOE 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 obtain and 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.
