Cleared Senior/Principal Systems Engineer - Nuclear Safety Assessment Job at Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque)

Job Description

We are seeking a dedicated R&D Systems Engineer with nuclear weapons experience to play a crucial role in assessing both conceptual and realized design details across various engineering domains in support of nuclear safety principles. In this position, you will conduct thorough analyses of component responses under normal and abnormal environments, ensuring that all systems work together effectively to uphold the highest standards of safety and reliability. You will partner with Assessment Teams, Significant Finding Investigation committees, and Red Teams, to perform comprehensive nuclear safety analyses that support stockpile sustainment and development activities, such as the State of the Stockpile and Annual Assessments. Your ability to communicate assessment findings effectively will be vital, as you will prepare technical reports and presentations for a diverse audience, ranging from staff engineers to executive leadership. Your contributions will directly inform risk-informed decision-making processes that impact the future of nuclear safety.

Job Responsibility

Independently review detailed technical documents and identify salient issues related to nuclear safety
Engage with weapon system, component design, assurance, and other surety organizations
Maintain awareness of issues related to design, development, production, maintenance, and dismantlement of weapon systems
Assess tests, materials, and components for adequacy against requirements
Evaluate procedures, product specifications, and standards for compliance
Lead independent safety assessments of nuclear weapon systems and components, analyzing responses under thermal, shock, vibration, and EMI/EMC environments
Define problem scope and requirements, develop technical approaches, and apply quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., fault-tree, FMEA, margin quantification)
Design experiments or simulations to evaluate safety-critical subsystems, collaborating with system and test engineers to verify requirements
Develop analytical frameworks and digital models to support risk-informed decisions
Mentor junior engineers in safety-analysis techniques and review their deliverables for technical accuracy
Communicate findings in technical reports and executive-level briefs that directly inform leadership decisions and stockpile assessment reviews

Requirements

Bachelor's 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
An active DOE Q clearance, or equivalent is required to start
High proficiency in foundational science and engineering principles, including safety-analysis methods such as fault-tree analysis, failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), and margin quantification
Experience with systems engineering for nuclear or high-consequence weapons systems, including applying system-of-systems thinking to ensure end-to-end functionality
Proven ability to lead complex technical projects on schedule, mentor team members, and deliver high-quality products, with demonstrated leadership experience as a project manager, technical lead, principal investigator, or similar role
Understanding of nuclear surety and reliability requirements, including familiarity with nuclear weapon safety standards, related DOE orders, and the SNL nuclear weapon product realization process
Background in reliability engineering or advanced margin-quantification frameworks
Excellent technical writing and executive presentation skills
Proven ability to work on challenging engineering problems in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment requiring extensive cross-organizational teamwork

Nice to have

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

What we offer

Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
Extraordinary co-workers
Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
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

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Cleared Senior/Principal Systems Engineer - Nuclear Safety Assessment

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