Demo

Materials Research Technician (Research Tec 3/4)

Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, NM Full Time
POSTED ON 12/20/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/14/2026
What You Will Do
The Nuclear Material Science Group (MST-16) is seeking Research Technicians to support plutonium and other actinide materials science research. In this role, you will provide support in one or more of the following areas: metallography, electron microscopy, materials characterization, materials synthesis and processing, materials properties measurements, and dynamic testing. Your day-to-day work will focus on small-scale sample preparation, operating and maintaining equipment, executing experiments, and other activities supporting MST-16 programs. If you are detail-oriented, this is an opportunity to learn established procedures, processes, and requirements to perform complex work in a unique environment on materials with a strong national security impact.



What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

Research Technician 3 ($64,700 - $101,400)
  • Candidate must have hands-on experience with hand and power tools.
  • Experience completing assigned tasks thoroughly to completion with a high attention to detail and limited supervision.
  • Experience quickly learning new skills/techniques and adapting to changing environments.
  • Experience working well in a team environment toward the accomplishment of common goals and interact effectively with peers and management.
  • Experience following written and verbal instructions, procedures, plans and Laboratory requirements and maintain required training.
  • Basic knowledge of and experience in computer systems and applications.
  • Ability and willingness to follow safety and security procedures.
  • Ability to obtain Q-clearance, which normally requires U.S. Citizenship.
  • Ability to obtain Human Reliability Program certification.

Research Technician 4 ($71,200 - $112,900)
In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, requirements at this level include:
  • Knowledge or experience related to metallography, electron microscopy, materials characterization, materials processing and properties measurements, mechanical and dynamic testing, and/or maintenance of scientific equipment.
  • Ability to work independently and initiate work.
  • Ability to perform non-routine tasks, exercising independent judgment.

Education/Experience Research Technician 3: Position requires an Associate's Degree and 3 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Education/Experience Research Technician 4: Position requires an Associate's Degree and 5 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation

Desired Qualifications:
  • Experience operating analytical equipment.
  • Experience operating machining equipment.
  • Experience maintaining and troubleshooting vacuum, gas, and pressure systems in a research environment.
  • Experience in performing or supporting scientific experiments.
  • Experience in preparation and analysis of small samples for materials science analysis.
  • Nuclear or radiological facility experience and performing routine glove box activities with radioactive materials.

Note to Applicants: A current C.V. or resume with at least the following information is required: educational background, work experience, and degree dates. Degrees in a STEM field beyond the minimum requirement count toward years of related experience. References will not be contacted without applicant permission.

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.

Essential Job Functions (can perform with or without reasonable accommodation): Peripheral vision, depth perception, reading vision and distance vision (corrected), ability to hear in a normal range (500 to 3000 Hertz), standing, walking, and lifting 20-30 pounds.

Work Environment: Work near sources of ionizing radiation, work with explosives, use of PPE including a respirator.

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 2 years.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
  • PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
  • Dental and vision insurance
  • Free basic life and disability insurance
  • Paid childbirth and parental leave
  • Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
  • Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
  • Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
  • Onsite gyms and wellness programs
  • Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

  • Eligibility Requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

HRP: This position is subject to the requirements of the DOE Human Reliability Program as specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulation, Part 712, §712.11. These requirements include on going drug and alcohol testing, as well as periodic medical and psychological evaluations.

426.2: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular Position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947 opt. 3.

Salary : $64,700 - $112,900

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Materials Research Technician (Research Tec 3/4)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Materials Research Technician (Research Tec 3/4) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$88,239 - $107,750
Income Estimation: 
$92,981 - $138,294
Income Estimation: 
$108,127 - $132,532
Income Estimation: 
$110,528 - $145,291
Income Estimation: 
$67,065 - $95,497
Income Estimation: 
$69,915 - $83,461
Income Estimation: 
$80,927 - $120,007
Income Estimation: 
$52,329 - $73,966
Income Estimation: 
$58,931 - $72,415
Income Estimation: 
$67,065 - $95,497
Income Estimation: 
$80,927 - $120,007
Income Estimation: 
$103,989 - $160,643
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM
  • What You Will Do This position will be filled at either the Project Leader 3/4 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job res... more
  • 14 Days Ago

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM
  • What You Will Do Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in science and engineering on behalf of national... more
  • 14 Days Ago

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM
  • What You Will Do The T-2 group (Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology) in the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory inv... more
  • 14 Days Ago

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM
  • What You Will Do This position will be filled at either the Science/Engineering Program Manager 3 (SEPM-3) or Science/Engineering Program Manager 4 (SEPM-4... more
  • 14 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Materials Research Technician (Research Tec 3/4) jobs in the Los Alamos, NM area that may be a better fit.

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM
  • What You Will Do Research Technician 2 ($53,700 - $82,500) The Nuclear Material Science Group (MST-16) is seeking Research Technicians to support plutonium... more
  • 1 Month Ago

  • Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM
  • What You Will Do MST-8 Scattering Team is seeking a research and development engineer to join the Materials Scattering Team to support and conduct in-situ ... more
  • 21 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!