R&D Engineer 1
- Req. Number: IRC141193
- Organization : C-NR/Nuclear & Radiochemistry
- City, State: Los Alamos, New Mexico
- Salary: $94,500 - $154,600
What You Will Do
The Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group (C-NR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a creative and motivated engineer to support the Radiochemistry and Counting Team. The team is responsible for the radiometric analysis of samples in support of national security and institutional programs, as well as research work in the areas of non-proliferation, radiochemistry, and nuclear physics. For these missions, the team utilizes a wide variety of gamma spectrometry, alpha spectrometry, and beta counting systems, many with automated sample changing for higher throughput and 24/7 operations.
Over the last several years, custom legacy counting systems have been modernized to some extent, but additional updates are needed while new systems must be designed to support various R&D efforts and meet growing operational needs. The selected candidate will focus on modernization and new development of custom control system hardware and software, primarily for automated beta and gamma counting systems. Software applications typically control detector operations and data acquisition hardware, schedule counting jobs, and operate sample changers and other automation. The systems must also interface with the online Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
This position's work scope also includes installation and maintenance of commercial nuclear detector systems. Integrating these systems into facility operations can require custom software interfaces, component modifications, or additional fixturing. In particular, various engineering tasks are sometimes needed to support the LANL Bioassay program which has both commercial liquid scintillation and alpha detector systems.
The successful candidate will:
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Desired Qualifications:
Education/Experience:
Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution combined with at least 2 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and technical experience directly related to the position.
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.
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.
The Nuclear and Radiochemistry Group (C-NR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a creative and motivated engineer to support the Radiochemistry and Counting Team. The team is responsible for the radiometric analysis of samples in support of national security and institutional programs, as well as research work in the areas of non-proliferation, radiochemistry, and nuclear physics. For these missions, the team utilizes a wide variety of gamma spectrometry, alpha spectrometry, and beta counting systems, many with automated sample changing for higher throughput and 24/7 operations.
Over the last several years, custom legacy counting systems have been modernized to some extent, but additional updates are needed while new systems must be designed to support various R&D efforts and meet growing operational needs. The selected candidate will focus on modernization and new development of custom control system hardware and software, primarily for automated beta and gamma counting systems. Software applications typically control detector operations and data acquisition hardware, schedule counting jobs, and operate sample changers and other automation. The systems must also interface with the online Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).
This position's work scope also includes installation and maintenance of commercial nuclear detector systems. Integrating these systems into facility operations can require custom software interfaces, component modifications, or additional fixturing. In particular, various engineering tasks are sometimes needed to support the LANL Bioassay program which has both commercial liquid scintillation and alpha detector systems.
The successful candidate will:
- Apply multidisciplinary skills to design and program automated electro-mechanical systems (i.e. perform mechatronic system design)
- Execute multiple aspects of the system design lifecycle including requirements generation, software development, fabrication and installation, testing and integration, and maintenance
- Properly document design work and software and create installation and user guides
- Be involved in day-to-day facility operations including operating counting systems, monitoring systems' health, assisting users, and helping with both routine and unplanned programmatic activities
- Assist with nuclear detector setup, integration, maintenance, and development
- Safely work with radioactive sources, cryogens, compressed gases, and mechanical and electrical systems
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
- Solid technical background in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, nuclear engineering, and/or a related discipline
- Experience performing various aspects of the engineering/system design process
- Mechanical design and prototyping of components and/or assemblies
- Experience developing custom software applications for automated electromechanical systems and/or computer-based data acquisition systems
- Development and/or system administration on Linux or Windows systems
- Demonstrated experience programming in C/C++ and Python
- Familiarity with device communication protocols and handling signals for analog and digital I/O
- Ability to conduct work independently and on a small team
- Attention to detail and quality craftsmanship when performing maintenance and fabrication tasks
- Organizational skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously
- Ability to obtain a DOE Q clearance, which typically requires U.S. citizenship
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience using electronic test equipment and troubleshooting electronics
- Experience building/fabricating electrical assemblies and/or mechanical systems
- Experience with software version control
- User interface development experience
- Web development on the front-end and/or back-end
- Experience using engineering design software, particularly 3D CAD modeling, and interfacing with a machine shop
- Experience interfacing with vendors to track, maintain, and coordinate repairs/upgrades on commercial systems
- Experience working in a nuclear environment and/or operating nuclear instrumentation
Education/Experience:
Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution combined with at least 2 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and technical experience directly related to the position.
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.
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.
