What are the responsibilities and job description for the Mechanical Test Engineer (R&D Engineer 2) position at Los Alamos National Laboratory?
What You Will Do
The Test Engineering Group (V-14) of the Verification and Validation Division (V) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a test engineer to support the weapons mission. The successful candidate will serve as a test engineer engaged in component, subsystem and system level testing. The test engineer is responsible for developing test requirements, researching and implementing instrumentation and data acquisition, designing, analyzing, and building test fixtures, scheduling, executing, and maintaining tests, technical oversight to team members, data analysis and formal test reporting.
Testing activities require working in a team environment with other engineers, scientists, and technicians within LANL, DOE, DoD, and other institutions. While the mechanical team does perform standard material characterization tests, their specialty lies with non-standard weapon component level tests. Their capabilities range from standard compression and tension to impact, torsion and cyclic in quasi-static, intermediate and dynamic environments. Compliance with LANL and facility safety and security practices and delivering accurate test results in a team effort are central to all testing efforts.
Additional job responsibilities include participating in the development of new testing technologies and facilities and implementing quality assurance requirements. Performance of job responsibilities will require working in controlled hazardous environments that may include radiation generating devices, radioactive materials, high explosives, and other hazardous materials. The ability to provide clear, timely, and technically accurate direction to test support technicians is part of the job duties.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Test Management:
Desired Qualifications:
Work Environment: Position involves working around and possibly handling high explosives as well as being near sources of non-ionizing radiation.
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.
Note to Applicants:
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:
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.
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.
The Test Engineering Group (V-14) of the Verification and Validation Division (V) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a test engineer to support the weapons mission. The successful candidate will serve as a test engineer engaged in component, subsystem and system level testing. The test engineer is responsible for developing test requirements, researching and implementing instrumentation and data acquisition, designing, analyzing, and building test fixtures, scheduling, executing, and maintaining tests, technical oversight to team members, data analysis and formal test reporting.
Testing activities require working in a team environment with other engineers, scientists, and technicians within LANL, DOE, DoD, and other institutions. While the mechanical team does perform standard material characterization tests, their specialty lies with non-standard weapon component level tests. Their capabilities range from standard compression and tension to impact, torsion and cyclic in quasi-static, intermediate and dynamic environments. Compliance with LANL and facility safety and security practices and delivering accurate test results in a team effort are central to all testing efforts.
Additional job responsibilities include participating in the development of new testing technologies and facilities and implementing quality assurance requirements. Performance of job responsibilities will require working in controlled hazardous environments that may include radiation generating devices, radioactive materials, high explosives, and other hazardous materials. The ability to provide clear, timely, and technically accurate direction to test support technicians is part of the job duties.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Test Management:
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of test engineering including test design, planning, preparation, execution, and documenting of experimental work.
- Ability to work on multiple projects concurrently and with changing priorities while delivering results on schedule.
- Ability to accomplish technical tasks while working independently or as part of a team with other engineers, scientists, and technicians.
- Experience with setup, operation, troubleshooting and maintenance of electromechanical and or hydraulic load frames.
- Demonstrated experience in interpreting experimental data such as load, displacement, stress, and strain.
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge in the use of specialized engineering software for data acquisition and analysis, such as Python, MATLAB, LabView, or other similar software packages.
- Demonstrated interpersonal, oral and written communication skills and experience interacting with all levels of personnel and customers.
- Ability to advise and guide experimental work including mentoring junior staff, students or technicians.
Desired Qualifications:
- Advanced engineering degrees like MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
- Material characterization and mechanical testing experience.
- Demonstrated experience with digital image correlation.
- Demonstrated experience in nuclear weapons testing and qualification.
- Active Q clearance.
Work Environment: Position involves working around and possibly handling high explosives as well as being near sources of non-ionizing radiation.
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.
Note to Applicants:
- For full consideration, applicants must submit a comprehensive cover letter that addresses the key requirements of the position.
- 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.
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)
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.
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.