Cleared Senior/Principal RD Mechanical Engineer - Explosive Components Product Realization Team (PRT) Lead, 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.

The Explosive Component Production department (7452) within Sandias Explosive Technologies Group (7450) serves as the internal Production Agency (PA) for critical energetic components supporting Life Extension Programs (LEPs), Alterations (ALTs), legacy stockpile sustainment, and new-system development for the Nuclear Deterrence mission. As a Product Realization Team (PRT) Lead, you will lead a multidisciplinary teamintegrating Product, Design, Manufacturing, Surety, Materials, and Process Engineeringto transition developmental designs into full-scale Mark Quality (MQ) production. You will partner closely with Design Agency (DA) teams, internal production floors, and external suppliers to deliver hardware to the Nuclear Weapons Stockpile with uncompromising safety, technical rigor, and quality.

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

• Own the PA PRTs end-to-end technical scope, schedule, and deliverables, establishing baseline commitments and driving risk and opportunity management
• Facilitate and lead cross-functional PRT meetings, drive consensus on technical decisions, maintain action items, and manage configuration records
• Partner with Project Controls and production planners to build, status, and execute resource-loaded schedules (e.g., P6) and manage project budgets/WBS
• Coordinate closely with Process Engineering and Technologist teams to prove in and qualify manufacturing processes on the production floor
• Guide hardware through build cycles (e.g., PPI, QE, WR) to achieve Qualification Evaluation Releases (QER) and First Production Unit (FPU) milestones
• Apply data-driven engineering methodsincluding root-cause analysis, statistical process control (SPC), design of experiments (DOE), and lean manufacturingto optimize yield, throughput, and product reliability
• Participate in Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Manufacturing Feasibility and Design (MFD) reviews with Design Agency counterparts to resolve producibility challenges early
• Author and manage product definition artifacts, including product/process specifications, graphic drawings (with GD&T), and Engineering Authorizations (CER, QER, FCO) within enterprise systems (PRIME/eDPM)
• Lead and support technical reviews (Conceptual/Preliminary/Final Design Reviews, TRL/MRL assessments, and program milestones), capturing lessons learned to advance Sandia's product realization processes
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering a collaborative, safety-focused, and high-rigor production environment

Occasional travel may be required.

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

$117,500 - $235,700

*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 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

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:

• PRT & Product Realization Experience: Demonstrated track record leading or supporting Product Realization Teams through developmental prototyping, qualification testing, and full-scale delivery of high-reliability Nuclear Deterrence (ND) hardware
• Technical Program Execution: Proven ability to lead cross-functional engineering teams, manage resource-loaded schedules (P6), control project budgets, and resolve complex technical trade-offs across multiple stakeholders
• Manufacturing & Process Engineering Rigor: Hands-on experience with physical component fabrication, assembly processes, DFM/MFD principles, and statistical process control (SPC) in a high-consequence manufacturing environment
• Data-Driven Problem Solving: Expertise leading root-cause investigations, failure analyses, corrective/preventive action implementations (CAPA), and defect prevention strategies
• Drawing & Configuration Management: Proficiency in interpreting engineering drawings, applying ASME Y14.5 Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), and managing design records within enterprise PDM systems (e.g., PRIME, eDPM, IMS)
• Energetic/Explosive Component Familiarity: Direct experience with explosive components, energetic devices, micro-mechanisms, or precision electro-mechanical assemblies
• Enterprise Tool Fluency: Experience utilizing Sandia or NNSA business and technical tools, such as SharePoint, MS Teams, Oracle ERP, Primavera P6, CFRC, and SPTS

Department 7452, Explosive Component Production, is part of the Explosive Technologies Group (7450) and serves as the Production Agency (PA) for explosive components. Our team is responsible for the production of explosive components that support Life Extension Programs (LEPs), Alterations (ALTs), Legacy systems, and New Systems. We collaborate closely with both external suppliers and internal production floors to ensure the highest quality and efficiency in our operations.

Our team plays a critical role in supporting the Nuclear Deterrence mission by ensuring the safe and efficient production of explosive components. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, and innovation, where every team member is valued and empowered to contribute to our mission.

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.

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are also a citizen of the United States.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. 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.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

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.