Continuous Improvement Quality Engineer (Quality Engineer 3/4)
- Req. Number: IRC139549
- Organization : PAQ-4/ Assessments
- City, State: Los Alamos, New Mexico
What You Will Do
Do you thrive on uncovering root causes and driving transformative change? We're looking for a Quality Engineer for Continuous Improvement within our Assessments Group (PAQ-4) charged with embedding continuous improvement methodologies and structured problem-solving across the enterprise. As part of the Production Agency Quality division, this team leads the charge in identifying systemic issues, executing causal analyses, and embedding continuous improvement practices across technical operations. You'll be part of a team that applies investigative and improvement methodologies to enable sustainable performance improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Engineer 3 ( $104,100 - $172,200)
You will demonstrate knowledge of and experience in designing, planning, and executing problem solving and process improvement projects and causal analyses. You should have in-depth knowledge using A3, 8D, Failure Modes & Effects Analysis, Value Stream Mapping, and Process Mapping tools. You will be expected to collaborate effectively with members from various process teams to collect and analyze data and recommend changes to processes based on the results of the analyses, define post-implementation monitoring and benefits, and support implementation of the changes. You will champion change and communicate status to all levels of an organization.
Develops innovative advanced concepts, theories, methods, techniques and approaches to address specialized problems. May contribute to the development of processing procedures. Develop new technical capabilities and create opportunities to extend continuous improvement and preventative action techniques through the expansion of existing methodologies. Leads technical decision-making at task level within a project. Makes decisions and/or recommendations that influence the achievement of key programmatic objectives. May attain additional certifications, qualifications, and/or recognition to grow in field.
Quality Engineer 4 ($125,200 - $211,300)
In addition to what is outlined at the Quality Engineer 3 level, the Quality Engineer Level 4 is expected to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of processes procedures and applications contributing to the overall objective of maintaining an effective Continuous Improvement Program.
This includes leading other quality and technical professionals in the planning, conduct, and reporting of assessment and corrective action activities using continuous improvement methodologies. At this level, the Quality Engineer plays a key role in driving process efficiency, quality enhancement, and operational excellence within an organization. The responsibilities are both strategic and hands-on, blending engineering expertise with project leadership and change management.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
In addition to the above, the Quality Engineer 4 must have the following:
Desired Qualifications:
Education/Experience for Level 3: Position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, QE or Industrial Systems Engineering or a related field and 8 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Education/Experience for Level 4: Position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, QE or Industrial Systems Engineering or a related field and 12 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. Advanced relevant degree and advanced certifications preferred.
Work Location: The work location for this position is hybrid and is located in Los Alamos, NM. Hybrid is defined as working partially onsite/partially offsite but within 2 hours ground commute of this location. All work locations are at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.
Mandatory 2-3 days onsite - Hybrid schedule.
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:
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.
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.
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. 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 opt. 3.
Do you thrive on uncovering root causes and driving transformative change? We're looking for a Quality Engineer for Continuous Improvement within our Assessments Group (PAQ-4) charged with embedding continuous improvement methodologies and structured problem-solving across the enterprise. As part of the Production Agency Quality division, this team leads the charge in identifying systemic issues, executing causal analyses, and embedding continuous improvement practices across technical operations. You'll be part of a team that applies investigative and improvement methodologies to enable sustainable performance improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead causal analyses and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) programs
- Apply CI methodologies to eliminate waste and reduce variability
- Facilitate cross-functional workshops and coach teams in data-driven problem solving
- Track and report improvement-project ROI and sustainability
Quality Engineer 3 ( $104,100 - $172,200)
You will demonstrate knowledge of and experience in designing, planning, and executing problem solving and process improvement projects and causal analyses. You should have in-depth knowledge using A3, 8D, Failure Modes & Effects Analysis, Value Stream Mapping, and Process Mapping tools. You will be expected to collaborate effectively with members from various process teams to collect and analyze data and recommend changes to processes based on the results of the analyses, define post-implementation monitoring and benefits, and support implementation of the changes. You will champion change and communicate status to all levels of an organization.
Develops innovative advanced concepts, theories, methods, techniques and approaches to address specialized problems. May contribute to the development of processing procedures. Develop new technical capabilities and create opportunities to extend continuous improvement and preventative action techniques through the expansion of existing methodologies. Leads technical decision-making at task level within a project. Makes decisions and/or recommendations that influence the achievement of key programmatic objectives. May attain additional certifications, qualifications, and/or recognition to grow in field.
Quality Engineer 4 ($125,200 - $211,300)
In addition to what is outlined at the Quality Engineer 3 level, the Quality Engineer Level 4 is expected to guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of processes procedures and applications contributing to the overall objective of maintaining an effective Continuous Improvement Program.
This includes leading other quality and technical professionals in the planning, conduct, and reporting of assessment and corrective action activities using continuous improvement methodologies. At this level, the Quality Engineer plays a key role in driving process efficiency, quality enhancement, and operational excellence within an organization. The responsibilities are both strategic and hands-on, blending engineering expertise with project leadership and change management.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
- Technical Breadth: Thorough knowledge of, and experience in, at least one of the following: manufacturing technology, weapons-component production, production control, or program management-providing the technical foundation for improvement initiatives.
- Facilitation of Multidisciplinary Teams: Demonstrated success guiding scientists, engineers, and technicians through CI projects-mentoring, conflict resolution, and team building. Advanced experience with mentoring of personnel.
- Communication: Skilled in presenting root-cause findings, improvement roadmaps, and performance updates to all organizational levels. Advanced ability to interact successfully under pressure.
- Role-Specific Depth: Hands-on expertise with Lean, Six Sigma (DMAIC/DMADV), 5 Whys, Fishbone, or equivalent CI tools, delivering measurable gains in manufacturing or R&D settings. Track record of sustaining improvement results over time with measurable ROI.
- Quality-related Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of and/or experience with quality related regulations, policies, and procedures. Knowledge of the weapons quality requirements: DOE/NNSA weapons quality policy (NAP-401.1A), nuclear weapons complex technical business practices (DPBPS), ASME, ISO, NQA-1 or other regulatory requirements. Advanced knowledge of assessment/audit practices.
In addition to the above, the Quality Engineer 4 must have the following:
- Expert-level knowledge of and experience with performance audits, assessments, recommending and implementing corrective actions, providing thorough and accurate documentation of technical and/or statistical reports, and ensuring compliance.
- Demonstrated advanced level knowledge and experience using statistics and statistical methods to analyze issues, identify failure modes, make decisions, implement corrective actions, and verify effectiveness.
- Expert level knowledge of project management methodologies and applying quality requirements to projects being managed through a formal project management process.
- Expert-level ability to mentor personnel.
- Ability to self-supervise with regular consultation with management
- Ability to provide functional and operational direction to others if assigned
Desired Qualifications:
- Clearance - Active DOE Q Clearance
- Problem Solving and Mentoring - Experience with structured problem-solving frameworks (e.g., A3, 8D, DMAIC). Familiarity with reliability engineering, PFMEAs, or hazard analysis techniques. Experience coaching or training others in CI tools and methodologies.
- Derivative Classifier/Reviewing Official (DC/RO): Knowledge of derivative classification or reviewing official experience. Current qualification as a DC/RO preferred.
- Certifications - Has CI certification(s) such as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Certified Lean Expert/Facilitator, Shingo Practitioner, Certified Quality Engineer, Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational excellence, or Change Management Certification.
- Tools - Experience with statistical analysis software such as Minitab, advanced skills in Excel and/or Access, Root Cause Analysis software/methodology such as Blue Dragon
Education/Experience for Level 3: Position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, QE or Industrial Systems Engineering or a related field and 8 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Education/Experience for Level 4: Position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, QE or Industrial Systems Engineering or a related field and 12 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. Advanced relevant degree and advanced certifications preferred.
Work Location: The work location for this position is hybrid and is located in Los Alamos, NM. Hybrid is defined as working partially onsite/partially offsite but within 2 hours ground commute of this location. All work locations are at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.
Mandatory 2-3 days onsite - Hybrid schedule.
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:
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.
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.
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. 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 opt. 3.
