R&D Mechanical Engineer - Tooling & Planning, 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
• 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*

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

*These benefits vary by job classification.

We are seeking a R&D S&E, Mechanical Engineering to join the 07567-1PPVS Tooling Team. Our team provides the technical leadership to identify, develop and deliver custom tooling, gages, fixtures, and molds (TGFM). We are also responsible for design, drafting, rapid prototyping and procurement of these parts. Annually we receive over 800 requests for tooling support from over a dozen production areas in Neutron Generators and across the labs. We assist production floors in problem solving, reducing waste, increasing yields and provide consultation on GD&T application and interpretation. In this role you will be the primary tooling POC for at least one production area. You will manage requests, set expectations, and provide updates throughout the lifecycle of each request. In addition, you will interface with vendors, the Design/Production Agencies, procurement and other members of the larger PPVS to ensure we are meeting production needs. Lastly, within our state-of-the-art polymer lab, you will get the opportunity to utilize various printer technologies, schedule, and provide machine maintenance, and help find new equipment and technologies to support our missions going forward.

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

• Technical interface to product realization teams and the commercial supply base for the design and delivery of mechanical parts/components used in nuclear weapon design, development, and production activities
• Participates in the product realization process (design through delivery); including early engagement in the development phase to define, validate, and clarify requirements for mechanical parts/components destined for use in nuclear weapons
• Leads the identification, development and qualification of suppliers; assessing the technical capabilities of the suppliers to meet weapons requirements
• Leads efforts to improve fundamental understanding of material requirements, defining and conducting experiment work to close knowledge gaps and improve design definition
• Anticipates and manages risk (i.e. sole source suppliers, sunset materials, technology development, etc.); identifying viable alternates and leading the technical evaluations and way we make decisions
• Manages product design definition (drawings, specifications, etc.) through the product life cycle (design-development-delivery)
• Employs quality management systems and techniques; developing and managing comprehensive verification/qualification plans and defining acceptance criteria
• Manages multiple organizational interfaces; internally and externally

Some travel required.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

$102,400 - $199,700

*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 Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, 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

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

• 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

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

• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced/schedule driven environment
• Experience in application of the scientific method; gathering, analyzing and presenting technical data for decision making/problem solving purposes
• Basic knowledge of design for manufacturing (DFM), Lean/Six Sigma and continuous improvement and their application
• Basic knowledge and/or exposure to Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Knowledge of statistically based tolerance analysis
• Experience of design for additive manufacturing and use of additive manufacturing equipment and/or 3D printers
• Desire to use engineering expertise in the weapons product realization process, cradle to grave
• Working knowledge of Nuclear Deterrence programs and processes

The PPVS Tooling & Planning Team (7567-1) is a dynamic highly integrated team that is responsible for design, drafting and procurement of custom tooling, gages, fixtures and molds (TGFM) in support of Center 7500 production activities and NG Product Realization Teams. This team also supports the Center, SNL and NSE with TGFM certification and qualification efforts and are the Subject Matter Experts and trainers for GD&T. Our team operates and maintains a state-of-the-art polymer 3D printing and additive manufacturing lab supporting FDM, Polyjet, SLA, and DLP capabilities.

The PPVS Tooling & Planning Team is part of a larger Purchased Product Value Stream (Org. 7567) team that is responsible for product engineering for nuclear weapons design, development, and production activities. We also provide materials planning expertise; using industry standard materials planning processes and tools to initiate the procurement phase and monitor the supply chain to meet product realization schedules.

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.

Sandia is required by DOE 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 obtain and 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.