What Your Job Will Be LikeWe are seeking an experienced Weapon Systems Engineer (WSE) (R&D Systems Engineer) to join the W80-4 Life Extension Program. The WSE is a key interface between Product Realization Teams (PRTs), the Systems team, Production Agencies (e.g., KCNSC or Sandia Production), surveillance organizations, and NNSA. The WSE advocates for both their assigned component(s) and the warhead system, ensuring scope and requirements for component(s) are defined and validated, design and production activities are managed within cost and schedule, and the product(s) as-built meet system requirements. This role places increased emphasis on supporting transition to and execution of sustained rate production, resolving production nonconformance's, and representing the program in production-focused reviews.
On any given day, you may be called on to:
- Serve as the primary technical interface between Systems, component PRTs, and the Production Agency during rate production execution and early sustainment.
- Identify, assess, and lead resolution of production nonconformance's, manufacturing escapes, process deviations, and production issues that could impact system performance, safety, reliability, or production rate.
- Coordinate with Production Agencies (KCNSC, Sandia Production, and other PAs), suppliers, and vendors to resolve production and quality issues and enable production rate recovery.
- Interface with NNSA program office and government stakeholders to report production status, risks, and corrective action plans.
- Support and represent the program in production focused reviews (Program Reviews, Production Reviews, Production Steady State Gates) and manufacturing surveillance activities; dry run review materials with PRTs.
- Participate in root cause analyses, failure investigations, and corrective/preventive action development and verification (CAR/PAR).
- Partner with component teams and systems to track and report technical risk mitigations, action items, and production performance metrics.
- Support surveillance and reliability activities to ensure system performance during early production and field life.
- Prepare technical assessments, briefings, and concise status reports for program leadership and government customers.
- Mentor and provide technical direction to engineers and subject matter experts engaged on production issues.
Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.
Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.
The position requires an ability to travel up to 10% to support the mission.
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.
- Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. DOE Q-Level Security Clearance.
Qualifications We DesireThe ideal R&D S&E Systems Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:
- Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
- Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
- Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
- 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:
- Experience working in production execution, manufacturing, or sustainment of complex weapon or defense systems, including demonstrated experience resolving production nonconformances.
- Familiarity with Production Agencies within the nuclear weapons complex (e.g., KCNSC and Sandia Production) and an understanding of their roles, processes, and interfaces with design laboratories and NNSA.
- Experience supporting or participating in production focused reviews.
- Demonstrated experience with root cause analysis methods, corrective action processes, and supplier oversight.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; experience briefing senior management and government customers.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize and complete tasks in a fast-paced environment.
- Prior experience on similar stockpile weapon system programs.
- Experience with surveillance programs, reliability assessments, and lifecycle sustainment planning.
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes, quality systems (e.g., AS9100, ISO), statistical process control, and production metrics.
- Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with systems engineering, component SMEs, production, quality, and government stakeholders.
- Experience in technical program/project management functions, including defining work scope, schedules, budgets, baselines, and managing change control and risk.
- Active DOE Q clearance preferred or ability to obtain/maintain required clearance.
About Our TeamThe W80-4 Systems Engineering Team partners with Groups 8240 and 8260 at SNL/CA on W80-4 program scope. This organization supports the ND Weapon Systems Engineering Centers, which are responsible for assuring the safety, reliability and security of US nuclear weapons enabling the defense of our nation through our nuclear strategic deterrent. The W80-4 program is currently in Phase 6.4, Production Engineering.
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.
