R&D Engineer 1

Job Title R&D Engineer 1

Location Los Alamos, NM, US

Organization Name NEN-5 / NUCLEAR ENGINEERING & NONPROLIFERATION SYSTEMS DESIGN AND ANALYSIS

Minimum Salary 92300

Maximum Salary 151000

What You Will Do

Are you passionate about contributing to a dynamic team that may play a significant role in returning American astronauts to the Moon and enabling human exploration missions to Mars and beyond?

Do you find ensuring U.S. national security exciting and an intriguing technical challenge? If you answered yes to either question, then joining the Systems Design and Analysis Group (NEN-5) may be right for you.

NEN-5 is seeking a highly resourceful, technically equipped, and motivated early career Reactor Design Engineer (R&D Engineer 1) with diverse nuclear engineering expertise and high emotional intelligence to play an impactful role in a myriad of cutting-edge scientific projects that may define the Nuclear Age in the 21st century.

NEN-5 is a multi-disciplinary team of approximately 24 employees comprised of scientists, engineers, and students that command a burgeoning annual budget of $12M dollars.

Today, NEN-5 is well- positioned to expand its expertise across Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)'s Global Security Directorate due to the growing global demand for advanced nuclear reactors and nuclear threat science expertise to guarantee America's leadership in space and beyond.

Specifically, our dynamic team focuses upon a broad spectrum of nuclear system applications including : special purpose reactor design and demonstration for space and terrestrial applications, radiation transport code applications, high fidelity simulation of nuclear systems and nuclear fuels, systems modeling, nuclear fuel cycles, and nuclear security.

Recently, our team successfully designed, developed, and tested a prototype fission reactor named Kilowatt Reactor Using Stirling Technology (KRUSTY).

Our diverse and dynamic team thrives in a collegial work environment that values creative problem solving where everyone's ideas and opinions are considered.

Moreover, there are opportunities for technically advanced work performed at LANL that may be published in journals and / or conference proceedings.

As a R&D Engineer 1 you will :

• Support high-quality modeling and / or simulation research in a nuclear-related field in a timely manner within a dynamic team environment and competing requirements.
• Collaborate with partners that may benefit from NEN-5's multi-disciplinary expertise.
• Actively participate in a fast-paced environment with collaboration between multiple scientific disciplines; effectively, document advanced technical work.
• Promote a collaborative, respectful, and engaging culture that enables mission success;
• Proactively demonstrate camaraderie, team building, safe operations, an insatiable desire to learn beyond your professional expertise, and a humble questioning attitude.

As a collaborative team, NEN-5 :

• Verifies and validates advanced nuclear reactors for special purpose applications through specific testing, analysis, and multi-physics computational methodologies.
• Performs detailed systems analysis of nuclear weapons stockpiles through intensive systems analysis and modeling that directly supports national strategic decision making.
• Supports the technical analyses and forensics on nuclear and radiological materials in the U.S. and foreign environments to inform security practices, policies, and procedures.
• Conducts technical analysis of international treaty monitoring in support of nuclear nonproliferation, arms control, and the design of future nuclear weapons treaties.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements :

Technical Leadership - Demonstrated "people first, mission always" mentality coupled with sound technical expertise. Experience leading, managing, and / or delivering technical work on schedule.

Team Building -Experience collaborating cross-functional and / or cross-cultural on multi-disciplinary projects.

Technical Knowledge - Knowledge of modeling and simulations related to one or more of the following disciplines : nuclear engineering, radiation transport calculations, reactor depletion simulations, computational thermal / solid / fluid modeling, nuclear fuels and / or materials, nuclear chemistry, process modeling, or nonproliferation.

Communication - Experience in developing and delivering oral, written, and / or visual technical presentations and publishing in one or more of the following areas : nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or related technical fields.

Safety and Security - Record of commitment to safety, security, compliance, quality, and diversity in the workplace. Ability to foster a safety culture and questioning attitude.

Education / Experience - Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET accredited institution related to the occupation combined with 2 years of related experience.

Ability to obtain a DOE Q-level clearance, which typically requires U.S. Citizenship.

Desired Qualifications :

Demonstrated experience in one or more areas of nuclear science or computational areas :

• Master's degree in nuclear / mechanical engineering from an ABET accredited institution.
• Experience in modeling and simulation using one or more of the following : MCNP, Serpent, OpenMC, MOOSE, BISON, Griffin, or radiation burn or depletion codes.
• Ability to program and knowledge of one or more programming languages, such as : Python, MATLAB, Java, Linux, SQL, Perl, C++, VBA, or Fortran.
• Active DOE Q-level and SCI clearance is highly desirable. Where You Will Work

Work Environment :

The Systems Design and Analysis Group (NEN-5) conducts multi-disciplinary systems engineering and analysis across various projects impacting advanced nuclear reactor designs, nuclear nonproliferation, stockpile stewardship, and international treaty monitoring.

Moreover, NEN-5 collaborates across LANL'S Global Security Directorate, other national laboratories, and Industry to meet emerging global nuclear energy needs and safe operations.

Since developing KRUSTY, NEN-5 is well-positioned to address national security requirements.

Work Location : The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations areat 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 resume and a comprehensive cover letter that addresses the key requirements of the position.

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.

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 Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity : Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce.

All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to 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 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 1-505-665-4444 option 1.

Employment Status Full Time

Appointment Type