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Cleared Senior/Principal R&D Systems Engineer - Hardware Qualification and Testing, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, NM Full Time
POSTED ON 9/25/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 10/22/2026
About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

  • Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
  • Extraordinary co-workers
  • Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
  • Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
  • Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
  • Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

  • These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

We are seeking an R&D Systems Engineer to execute hardware qualification and testing support in the Mobile Guardian Transport Electronics Engineering, Testers, and Cables group.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

  • Use systems engineering principles to implement multidisciplinary engineering approaches to research, design, or develop structures, instruments, machines, experiments, processes, systems, theories, or technologies; to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design or to forecast their behavior.
  • Initiate, design, develop, execute, and evaluate new processes, products, or systems through basic and applied systems engineering research.
  • Work closely with the Production Agency for product realization
  • Utilize creativity and critical thinking in Systems Engineering principles to proactively discern, identify, troubleshoot and mitigate requirements, design, and manufacturing challenges to ensure successful product realization in partnership with a variety of subsystem teams and sponsor needs.
  • Determine conditions under which tests are to be conducted then prepare test, maintenance, operations, calibration and administrative procedures to support operations at hazardous facilities.
  • Design, develop, execute and fabricate experiment hardware or test components, systems, and equipment to meet all performance criteria.
  • Support preparation of all work planning and control documentation, to include failure mode analyses and safety cases, for work being conducted at hazardous facilities.
  • Own, monitor, and ensure technical excellence of our contracts and contracted partners on the MGT tester subsystem.
  • Support the analysis and interpretation of test data and recommend alternative solutions to problems and obstacles.
  • Develop technical documentation for systems such as drawings, work instructions, reports, test plans, manuals, etc.
  • Work on a specific task basis to support technical activities.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

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.
  • Active DOE Q or DOD TS clearance

Qualifications We Desire

The 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 Laboratory (LLNL) 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:

  • Ability to work in a collaborative environment to meet mission needs
  • Tester equipment, testbeds, and SNL test facilities
  • Working in a schedule, budget, or requirement constrained environment
  • Working with drawing definitions
  • Working with the Production Agency
  • Sandia work planning and control methods
  • Defining technical requirements, validating execution of requirements, planning, designing, integrating, implementing, and/or testing engineering solutions.
  • Ability to emphasize small details and orders of operations by breaking down systems into manageable and discrete parts for better understanding and troubleshooting
  • Recent experience (<2 years) designing, building, troubleshooting, and testing system integrated and/or component level development Testers.
  • Ability and confidence working in a classified environment and with classified components
  • Ability to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
  • Ability to model behaviors that reflect Sandia's core values
  • Ability to conceptualize, understand, execute on, and communicate major elements of design, engineering, maintenance, processes, or policies.
  • Awareness of engineering principles and basic technical responsibilities, including design and systems technology, within a designated subject area

  • About Our Team

    Mobile Guardian Transport Electronics Engineering, Testers, and Cables department is responsible for the design of electronics, cables, and testers for the next generation safe and secure transportation system for over-the-road shipment of United States nuclear deterrence assets. In addition, we provide electrical engineering and electronics subject matter expertise and support to the overall MGT program.

    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.

    Security Clearance

    Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE directive 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 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.

    Eeo

    All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

    NNSA Requirements For MedPEDs

    If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

    If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

    Essential Functions

    If offered the position, you may be required to demonstrate your fitness to perform certain physical aspects of the position, including lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.

    Job ID: 699137

    Job Family: RD

    Regular/Temporary Position: R

    Full/Part-Time Status: F

    Salary : $117,500 - $235,700

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