Los Alamos National Laboratory

As a Process Engineer on the Welding team, you will be tasked with encapsulation of heat source plutonium.. Your team utilizes automated gas tungsten arc welding and electron beam welding processes, performs decontamination activities to remove encapsulated plutonium from glovebox lines, and performs non-destructive assay inspections such as leak testing.. Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in one or more of the following engineering disciplines: mechanical; materials science; chemical; metallurgical, welding or other R&D engineering fields.. Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2.. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

welding engineer

What You Will Do

Join the best and brightest minds in the world at one of the most innovative and creative multidisciplinary research institutions engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. The work we do at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) matters to our country and the world.

The Actinide Materials Processing and Power Division (AMPP) groups work in a team environment within LANL's nuclear facility to process materials and manufacture products in support of Nuclear Deterrence

AMPP-5 is the Power Supply Production group. We work for space and defense programs to process Pu-238 to make heat sources for instruments or generators that need long lasting and reliable power. Our group consists of three teams: the aqueous team which purifies fuel and processes waste for disposition, the fuel fabrication team which processes and manipulates powder fuels, and the welding team which encapsulates fuel into various containment vessels. Each team plays a vital role in the organization's overarching mission to support space exploration and national defense through Pu-238 science. Majority of daily production tasks in AMPP involves "hands on" glove box work.

As a Process Engineer on the Welding team, you will be tasked with encapsulation of heat source plutonium. Your team utilizes automated gas tungsten arc welding and electron beam welding processes, performs decontamination activities to remove encapsulated plutonium from glovebox lines, and performs non-destructive assay inspections such as leak testing.

What You Need

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in one or more of the following engineering disciplines: mechanical; materials science; chemical; metallurgical, welding or other R&D engineering fields.
Thorough knowledge of and experience in designing; planning; and executing research and development projects and/or manufacturing process engineering experience.
Thorough experience with manufacturing processes and approaches used to optimize processes.
Excellent written communication skills.
Demonstrated leadership in resolving the resolution of technical problems, analyze analyzing data, and performing testing to generate solutions and effectively document and communicate results. Something about influencing/making decisions.
Experience in technical leadership roles and mentoring other process engineers.
Leads technical decision making at task level within a project. Makes decisions and/or recommendations that influence the achievement of key programmatic objectives.

Education/Experience: Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred.DOE Order 426.2: Requires a Bachelor of Science degree in science or engineering or related science, 2 years of job-related experience and 1 year of nuclear experience.

Desired Qualifications:

Experience leading troubleshooting of welding/joining processes and ownership of processes required to meet stringent technical specifications.
Practical experience with laser, gas tungsten arc (GTA), and/or electron beam welding methods
Demonstrated experience assessing the effects of beam profiles, power levels, and alignment on welding systems.
Experience with, or advanced knowledge of nondestructive analysis methods.
Thorough knowledge or experience working in a manufacturing or production organization requiring implementation of defined manufacturing, researching, testing, and quality requirements.
Experience with system and subsystem qualification testing and/or analysis.
Demonstrated knowledge of the Conduct of Operations.
Technical writing consisting of project proposals, technical research, and summary presentations.
Hands-On participation in nuclear facility processes as necessary for fundamental process knowledge and continuous improvement.
Independently present specific aspects of engineering assignments at project meetings to coworkers and management personnel.
Lead the research, design, and testing of engineering and technology solutions in support of R&D initiatives.
Apply broad and diversified knowledge of engineering principles to implement sound engineering practices to achieve organizational objectives.
Adapt to evolving R&D requirements while meeting safety, security, compliance, and schedule imperatives.
Actively engage and collaborate with multidisciplinary groups throughout the laboratory.
Ensure operational reliability through rigorous process system maintenance, i.e., reviewing and developing maintenance protocols to track trends, history and establish methods for post maintenance testing.
Active HRP certification.
Active DOE Q clearance.

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 reflective of your relevant experience to the job requirements and desired skills stated above.
Evaluation of applications will commence immediately.
This is a reoccurring job ad that does not have a date it will close.
While the posted salary range for this position is broad, it is highly unusual for selected applicants to be hired at the top end of the range and more common for the selected candidates to grown into the full salary band over time.
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)
Additional Details

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.

426.2: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.

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.

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