What You Will Do 

The Product Realization and Reliability Office (PRRO) in Pit Technologies consists of a multidisciplinary group of engineers and scientists that support plutonium programs (i.e., pit production, surveillance, research & development, and subcritical experiments) across the entire Pit Technologies (PT) Division. 

PT Division is seeking Applied Engineering Analysts to provide engineering analysis support for all PT division production activities.  This includes detailed process modeling of all production processes including metal refining, melting, casting, heat treat, forming, machining, and welding.  Also included is comprehensive analytical support for the design and development of all PT tooling, fixturing as well as new bespoke process equipment.

The selected candidate will be responsible for detailed analyses that will cover a wide range of difficult problems requiring solutions that are imaginative, thorough, practicable, and consistent with organizational objectives. The analysis tasks will span the spectrum from simple problems requiring classical hand calculations to highly sophisticated multi-physics problems requiring the utilization of state-of-the-art finite element methods with commercial computer codes. The analyst will be held accountable for completing and documenting his/her work within the agreed upon cost and schedule.  Additionally, the selected candidate will be expected to present their work for peer reviews and to be a peer reviewer for other engineers’ work.  

We value diverse skills and experience, so don’t hold back. Your specific qualification could add tremendous value to our team. Our customers come from all different backgrounds, and so do our employees. If you’re passionate about what you could accomplish here, we’d love to hear from you.

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Demonstrated experience in complex modeling and simulation (e.g., structural, thermal, fluid, electromagnetic)
• Ability to set up, run, debug, validate and interpret results of finite element analysis
• Familiarity with commercial applications such as Ansys, Abaqus, and MatLab
• Strong documentation skills; demonstrated ability to document technical results in a formal method/format
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Proficiency in applying fundamental techniques and engineering best practices

Q Clearance: This position requires a Q clearance and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by, or on behalf of, the Federal Government for access to classified matter. 

Education/Experience:

Position requires a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an ABET accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. 

DOE O. 426.2: Requires a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering or related science, 2 years job related experience, and 1 year of nuclear experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• A Master’s or PhD Degree in engineering from an ABET accredited institution.
• Proficient understanding of the finite element method
• Demonstrated experience in non-linear modeling
• Ability to build finite element models given component geometry from the ground up; knowledge of Abaqus CAE, Ansys SpaceClaim, or Creo Parametric 3D modeling software or similar modeling software
• Demonstrated experience with mechanical testing (e.g., structural, thermal, fluid flow) in support of model validation including experiment design, planning, organization, execution, data reduction, and data correlation
• Understanding of validation and verification methods
• Fundamental understanding of mechanical design engineering and the design process
• Experience working on Linux-based HPC
• Proficiency utilizing MatLab

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: For full consideration submit a comprehensive resume and include a detailed cover letter explaining how you meet each of the minimum requirements and any of the desired qualifications.

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)

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.

HRP: This position is subject to the requirements of the DOE Human Reliability Program as specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulation, Part 712, §712.11. These requirements include on going drug and alcohol testing, as well as periodic medical and psychological evaluations.

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 and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to 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 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 1-505-665-4444 option 1.