Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - Nuclear Safety Assurance Job at Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque)

Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - Nuclear Safety Assurance

Sandia National Laboratories

Location:
United States , Albuquerque

Category:
Research and Development

Contract Type:
Not provided

Salary:

114000.00 - 227500.00 USD / Year

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Job Description:

Join our dynamic team as an R&D Mechanical Engineer, where your expertise will play a crucial role in shaping the future of nuclear safety and security. In this role, you will be at the forefront of innovative engineering solutions, collaborating with a talented group of professionals dedicated to ensuring the reliability and safety of critical systems. You will have the opportunity to provide consultation to appropriately disposition hardware in production, ensuring compliance with nuclear safety standards, and develop requirements, influence the design of experiments, and guide modeling and analysis to ensure that designs perform as intended throughout the weapon's lifecycle.

Job Responsibility:

Use engineering analysis tools to evaluate safety margins and support the development and qualification of components or systems to assure nuclear safety
Analyze the capability of components and systems to meet nuclear safety requirements, particularly their ability to withstand stress from conditions such as temperature, load, motion, shock, vibration, pressure, and humidity
Engage with engineering drawings and CAD tools to support design and analysis efforts CREO/SolidWorks and PDMLink to design, model, and lead the product
Develop expertise in the design and functionality of safety-critical components and systems, including mechanisms such as strong links, LACs, and firing subsystems, to fully evaluate component performance across normal and abnormal environments
Utilize your expertise to identify safety-critical features and ensure that designs meet assured safety standards
Write nuclear safety specifications and prepare documentation for requirements outlined in various Realized Product Procedures (RPPs), which are essential for the weapon realization life cycle
Partner with subject matter experts to create the technical basis from analyses and test data that demonstrates safety-critical components are safe for their intended environments
Work closely with the nuclear safety system lead, design and production teams, and other key partners across the Nuclear Security Enterprise (e.g., Kansas City NSC, Pantex) to develop solutions for a wide range of technical challenges
Help develop nuclear safety fault trees for components and systems, applying research to the design, development, analysis, and testing of mechanical, electromechanical, and piezoelectric systems

Requirements:

A 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
Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Nice to have:

Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation)
Experience with mechanical engineering and product realization in the NNSA complex
Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams
Proven ability to navigate ambiguous problems and situations, demonstrating resourcefulness in solving deeply complex technical challenges
Experience in weapon design, testing, simulation, and/or production, particularly with respect to nuclear safety, along with familiarity with nuclear weapon design and development processes
Knowledge of hazard, safety, and failure analysis techniques, such as fault tree analysis and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA)
Strong communication skills, with experience in high-visibility roles and delivering technical presentations to diverse audiences
Excellent planning and prioritization skills, with a demonstrated desire to continuously learn and improve
Proficiency in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), along with the ability to understand and interpret technical drawings and wiring schematics
Ability to understand technical drawings and wiring schematics and how to interpret them

What we offer:

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

Additional Information:

Job Posted:
January 15, 2026

Employment Type:

Fulltime

Work Type:

On-site work

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Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - Nuclear Safety Assurance

Sandia National Laboratories

Location:
United States , Albuquerque

Category:
Research and Development

Contract Type:
Not provided

Salary:

Job Description:

Job Responsibility:

Requirements:

Nice to have:

Additional Information:

Job Posted:
January 15, 2026

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