Weapons Production Safeguard our future while finding yours.
Los Alamos National Laboratory is home to a national security mission like no other. As the sole manufacturer of plutonium pits and detonators for the nation's nuclear stockpile, LANL is a foundation for keeping the world safe by ensuring the U.S. has a sustainable and credible deterrent. We are the employer of choice for more than 15,000 workers in Northern New Mexico, many of them in our Plutonium Facility, which is the only one in the nation. Our continuously growing workforce needs a vast array of early-career workers within the Weapons Production Directorate to help us achieve this key mission. Explore open positions that support our exciting mission and find a place that's right for you.
View entry level roles >
About the Weapons Production Directorate
The Weapons Production Directorate enables credible and sustainable strategic deterrence for the Nation through the production of plutonium pits, detonators, and non-nuclear components; plutonium processing and disposition; manufacturing for NASA deep space missions; surveillance; materials management; waste operations, and much more.
R&D Engineers
Research and Development (R&D) Engineers are responsible for providing integrated R&D to address engineering challenges in LANL's Plutonium Facility as well as throughout the Detonator Production mission. Applying engineering principles, theories, concepts, and practices to contribute to solutions for a broad range of technical challenges of national importance, members of this team assist in the research, design, testing, analysis, verification, and validation of engineering and technology solutions in support of R&D and Operations initiatives.
Search Jobs >
Nuclear & Hazardous Materials Techs
Nuclear & Hazardous Materials Technicians play an integral role in our operations by ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant waste management across a variety of our facilities. Members of this team handle drums or forklifts, document hazardous or radiological materials, and manage nuclear materials storage areas to support the mission.
Search Jobs >
Research Techs
Research Technicians work in a team environment within LANL's nuclear facility to manufacture product, support material movement, and support glove box operations. The majority of the daily work is "hands-on" glovebox work in support of plutonium processing. You could also work within a non-nuclear capacity manufacturing detonators for our nuclear stockpile.
Search Jobs >
Engineering Technologists
Engineering Technologists execute and use the principles of mechanical and electrical engineering to solve technical problems in support of engineering for plutonium pit manufacturing and surveillance in the nuclear stockpile work at LANL. We rely on this position to support engineering and the development of tooling and equipment for various projects.
Search Jobs >
Program Managers
Program managers at LANL provide leadership, vision, strategic and tactical planning, and overall direction for execution of a given national security portfolio. We rely on program managers to serve as a liaison across agencies throughout the national security enterprise, negotiating and authorizing resources, planning progress against milestones, and creating an environment for cross-agency collaboration and teamwork.
Search Jobs >
Engineering Systems Techs
Engineering Technicians and Technologists perform maintenance on programmatic equipment and glovebox support systems in support of national security milestones, while maintaining a safety-first mindset. Members of this team have working knowledge and experience working with a variety of components on equipment in different maintenance-related situations that involve testing, troubleshooting, repairing, and replacing.
Search Jobs >
Operators
Operators work on and monitor facility systems and perform technical tasks in support of operations, maintenance, science, or engineering activities. They are key to providing crucial support for operations, construction, and facility systems such as electrical or chemical functions. By monitoring and correcting malfunctions, performing routine maintenance, or responding to abnormal events, Operators are key to keeping our facilities running smoothly.
Search Jobs >
“I came to LANL looking for career stability after working as an engineering contractor for oil, gas, and chemical projects. When I first learned about the Lab, I was surprised that there was so much work happening that I'd never heard of. Weapons Production is home to the core mission of the Lab and working here has exposed me to the backbone of the nuclear security enterprise.”
Jasper
“I grew up in Los Alamos and always wanted to work at the Lab. Los Alamos was a great place to grow up and continues to be a great place to raise my family. I like the great people in Weapons Production. It's unique work with plutonium and supports enduring nuclear deterrence. I hope for a more peaceful world, and I believe our national security mission is one piece in solving that puzzle.”
Dave
“Weapons Production has a unique and extremely challenging mission that cannot be done by anyone else in the United States. And in Los Alamos, we have a landscape full of natural beauty to explore and enjoy, which makes it even more special to work here.”
Joe
“I have a pacifist worldview, and I don't believe that the nation's weapons stockpile is in itself the answer to the world's problems. However, I do believe the deterrence created by a viable stockpile is one strong answer to those problems. Our mission in Weapons Production to support that deterrence is in alignment with my pacifist sensibilities, and I'm proud to be a part of it.”
Tessa