Senior/Principal R&D Systems Engineer - Evaluation & Qualification Lead, W93/Mk7 Program, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
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• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

We are seeking an R&D Systems Engineer to join the W93/Mk7 program as the Evaluation & Qualification (E&Q) Lead for Joint Test Assemblies (JTAs). In this role, you will be a vital member of a mission-driven team, collaborating closely across W93 systems, internal organizations (such as test facilities, experimentalists, and analysts), external design agencies, and customers/stakeholders. You will facilitate coordination and communication to advance program objectives, working at the intersection of technical and programmatic domains to ensure alignment and integration across diverse teams and efforts.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Establish a comprehensive modeling, simulation, and physical testing strategy for the W93/Mk7 JTA systems team to support design evaluation and qualification data needs, while ensuring integration with and leveraging opportunities from Mk7/W93 WR system testing plans as appropriate.
• Engage technically with partnering design agencies (Sandia, Los Alamos, and Lockheed Martin) to define program test objectives and coordinate modeling, simulation, and physical testing efforts to meet these objectives.
• Manage programmatic commitments and communications with customers and stakeholders regarding evaluation and qualification efforts.
• Coordinate logistics with testing facilities, including scheduling, hardware delivery, and on-site support.
• Lead the planning and execution of systems testing activities, including preparation for major test readiness reviews and evidence generation.
• Develop specifications and documentation for environmental and functional test and modeling strategies, laboratory and field test activities, test and analysis plans, test execution, and data analysis.
• Create verification plans to meet ground and flight test requirements, including missile compatibility demonstrations and flight test objectives.
• Collaborate closely with Science & Technology subject matter experts to conduct pre-test modeling, simulation, and analyses.
• Prepare presentations and support documentation for technical reviews.

This position will require some travel. Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

• A bachelors degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent with the ability to obtain and maintain a Sigma 15 security clearance.

The ideal R&D Systems Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLNL) and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
• Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Experience with Navy System Programs or other ground and flight testing on large-scale programs.
• Specific experience building and maintaining relationships across DOE and DoD organizations.
• Demonstrated leadership abilities (strategic and tactical), including driving teams to meet time-sensitive schedules.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for collaborating with teams ranging from skilled technologists to PhD-level engineers and scientists.
• Experience with testing instrumentation, telemetry system design, testing, or analysis.
• Systems engineering experience with complex systems.
• Experience with nuclear deterrent (ND) component or system design, development, or production.
• Ability to prioritize competing requirements to optimize system-level outcomes.
• Commitment to operational safety, security, and quality, including experience with activity-level work.

The W93 System Evaluation and Qualification Department (02396) has the primary responsibility to plan and coordinate evaluation activities for the W93/Mk7 Navy Strategic Reentry System Program. These activities involve modeling, simulation, and physical ground testing, in support of the maturation and ultimate qualification of the W93/Mk7 reentry body system design.

We work closely with our partners and program stakeholders, including NNSA Federal Program Managers, the US Navy, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Los Alamos National Lab, the Sandia nuclear weapons component organizations, the Sandia science & technology community, Kansas City Plant National Security Campus (NSC), the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), and many others, to coordinate expertise and implement effective approaches to better understand system technical knowledge gaps and validate the system works as intended.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.