High Power Radio Frequency Engineer (R&D Engineer 1/2)
- Req. Number: IRC134415
- Organization : AOT-RFE - The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division- Radio Frequency Engineering
- City, State: Los Alamos, New Mexico
What You Will Do
The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division (AOT), Radio Frequency Engineering (RFE) group is seeking a High-Power RF engineer at either the R&D Engineer 1 or R&D Engineer 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.
The AOT division maintains, operates, and upgrades all accelerator systems used at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) complex. These consist of two 750-keV Cockcroft-Walton-based injector systems (H+ and H- systems), a 201.25-MHz drift tube linear accelerator utilizing high-power diacrode tubes, an 805-MHz coupled cavity linac utilizing klystrons as the primary power source, a proton storage ring, and roughly a kilometer of beam transport lines that feed beam to the five independent research programs. The RFE group is principally responsible for all RF systems, pulsed power systems, and high-power DC power supplies used to operate magnets on the beam transport lines. Low-level RF (LLRF) control and monitoring of the various RF sources used to drive the beam is critical to the high performance and successful operation of the accelerator. The group consists of five teams: (1) Low-Level RF (LLRF) focused on real-time phase and amplitude controls; (2) accelerator Pulsed Power systems (PP); (3) accelerator Magnet Power Supplies (MPS); (4) High-Power RF (HPRF) systems at 201 MHz; and (5) High-Power RF systems at 805 MHz.
This position will be filled at the R&D Engineer 1 or R&D Engineer 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.
R&D Engineer 1 ($92,300 - $151,000)
As a member of the AOT-RFE high power RF Engineering team, you will be working closely with other engineers and technicians and will be responsible for the operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance of the LANSCE 805 MHz high-power RF klystron and vacuum tube / solid state power modulator systems. This includes design and use of associated electronics, interlocks, protection circuits, high voltage high power supplies (90 kV, 2340 kW), and power electronics. The successful candidate is also expected to provide "on call" support for the LANSCE high power RF amplifier systems after hours and on weekends. The "on-call" assignment will typically be for one week out of every six, while the accelerator is operating (approximately 7 months per year).
R&D Engineer 2 ($101,700 - $168,200)
In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, the position at this level will be responsible for planning and managing maintenance activities and analyzing pulsed power systems data to inform design enhancements for improving performance and reliability. The successful candidate will also provide pulsed power and power electronics expertise to all segments of the group, particularly in the areas related to pulsed power systems and the equipment required to operate them. There will also be opportunities to work with other researchers on special projects across the laboratory.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Job Requirements for Level 1:
Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 2:
In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requires:
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 1 level: Position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET accredited institution related to the occupation combined with 2 years of related experience.
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 2 level: Position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Desired Qualifications:
Essential Job Functions (can perform with or without reasonable accommodation): Ability to speak, ability to hear in a normal range, standing, walking, reaching overhead, reaching horizontally, reaching down, gripping with hands, typing or keyboarding.
Note to Applicants: Consideration for the position will be strictly limited to applicants that submit a comprehensive cover letter addressing, bullet by bullet, each of the required and desired skills.
Work Environment
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.
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:
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.
No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.
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 or preference, 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.
The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division (AOT), Radio Frequency Engineering (RFE) group is seeking a High-Power RF engineer at either the R&D Engineer 1 or R&D Engineer 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.
The AOT division maintains, operates, and upgrades all accelerator systems used at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) complex. These consist of two 750-keV Cockcroft-Walton-based injector systems (H+ and H- systems), a 201.25-MHz drift tube linear accelerator utilizing high-power diacrode tubes, an 805-MHz coupled cavity linac utilizing klystrons as the primary power source, a proton storage ring, and roughly a kilometer of beam transport lines that feed beam to the five independent research programs. The RFE group is principally responsible for all RF systems, pulsed power systems, and high-power DC power supplies used to operate magnets on the beam transport lines. Low-level RF (LLRF) control and monitoring of the various RF sources used to drive the beam is critical to the high performance and successful operation of the accelerator. The group consists of five teams: (1) Low-Level RF (LLRF) focused on real-time phase and amplitude controls; (2) accelerator Pulsed Power systems (PP); (3) accelerator Magnet Power Supplies (MPS); (4) High-Power RF (HPRF) systems at 201 MHz; and (5) High-Power RF systems at 805 MHz.
This position will be filled at the R&D Engineer 1 or R&D Engineer 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.
R&D Engineer 1 ($92,300 - $151,000)
As a member of the AOT-RFE high power RF Engineering team, you will be working closely with other engineers and technicians and will be responsible for the operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance of the LANSCE 805 MHz high-power RF klystron and vacuum tube / solid state power modulator systems. This includes design and use of associated electronics, interlocks, protection circuits, high voltage high power supplies (90 kV, 2340 kW), and power electronics. The successful candidate is also expected to provide "on call" support for the LANSCE high power RF amplifier systems after hours and on weekends. The "on-call" assignment will typically be for one week out of every six, while the accelerator is operating (approximately 7 months per year).
R&D Engineer 2 ($101,700 - $168,200)
In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, the position at this level will be responsible for planning and managing maintenance activities and analyzing pulsed power systems data to inform design enhancements for improving performance and reliability. The successful candidate will also provide pulsed power and power electronics expertise to all segments of the group, particularly in the areas related to pulsed power systems and the equipment required to operate them. There will also be opportunities to work with other researchers on special projects across the laboratory.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Job Requirements for Level 1:
- Demonstrated ability to read and understand schematics.
- Demonstrated undergraduate training in electrical engineering fields that support competency in electrical engineering such as high-voltage and pulsed-power engineering.
- Demonstrated verbal communication and interpersonal skills, and experience in effectively producing written documents.
- Demonstrated ability to accomplish technical tasks while working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team with engineers, scientists, and technicians.
Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 2:
In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requires:
- Demonstrated record of contributions to the design, development, testing, and installation of high-power RF vacuum tube-based amplifier systems and high-voltage systems.
- Demonstrated experience in developing concepts for RF vacuum tube-based amplifier systems and high-voltage systems.
- Demonstrated technical abilities in the design and development of RF vacuum-based amplifiers and high-voltage systems.
- Demonstrated experience working as part of a team to develop RF amplifier and high-voltage systems.
- Demonstrated recent and successful hands-on experience troubleshooting, installation, and testing of high-power RF systems.
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 1 level: Position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET accredited institution related to the occupation combined with 2 years of related experience.
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 2 level: Position requires a bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience with high-voltage DC and pulsed-power systems.
- Experience with computer-based circuit layout simulation (PSpice, Multisim, LTSPice, etc.)
- Experience with NI LabView and LabView/FPGA programming.
- Experience with matrix algebra and block diagram simulation software (Matlab/Simulink, Scilab/Xcos, etc.).
- Operations experience at an accelerator facility.
- Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which normally requires U.S. citizenship.
Essential Job Functions (can perform with or without reasonable accommodation): Ability to speak, ability to hear in a normal range, standing, walking, reaching overhead, reaching horizontally, reaching down, gripping with hands, typing or keyboarding.
Note to Applicants: Consideration for the position will be strictly limited to applicants that submit a comprehensive cover letter addressing, bullet by bullet, each of the required and desired skills.
Work Environment
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.
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.
No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.
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 or preference, 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.
