Senior​/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - Assurance Product Realization Group, Onsite

About Sandia

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.

We are seeking an experienced R&D Mechanical Engineer to design, develop and support high assurance electronic products.

• Play a key role in prototyping, development, maturation, production, and deployment of advanced technologies for next‑generation weapon systems and support equipment.
• Coordinate with a group of electrical and mechanical engineers and designers in the design and qualification of electrical components.
• Lead trade studies in multidisciplinary areas including materials science and structural mechanics to guide design.
• Collaborate with technologists in assembly and troubleshooting.
• Coordinate environmental testing, including scheduling, fixture/equipment design and fabrication, creating test plans and documenting test results.

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

This role requires occasional travel – typically less than 10% – to support mission‑related work.

$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.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q‑level security clearance.

• 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.

• Design experience in High Assurance systems.
• Familiarity with Model‑Based Definitions.
• Experience with configuration management design definition system.
• Working with manufacturers, just‑in‑time suppliers and manufacturing liaisons.
• Experience planning and completing tests (e.g., vibration, shock, thermal, pressure, etc.).
• Design for manufacturing experience including GD&T.
• Experience with data acquisition and post‑processing.
• Familiarity with FEA simulations.
• Experience integrating electronics into hardware assemblies.
• Experience using CAD software for complex 3D solid modeling and mechanical drawing generation and design solutions.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.

The High Assurance Product Realization group develops embedded and ground support equipment in support of high assurance National Security missions. We are a leader for high‑assurance National Security hardware, utilizing current and advanced electronic hardware approaches, tools, and techniques in developing information assurance subsystems. Our responsibilities span research, design, development, production liaison, and existing product evaluation for Use Control Applications. Our staff develops custom electronic technologies in support of the DOE/DoD Use Control community and specializes in real‑time embedded electronic design solutions with emphasis on security and reliability.

The team also has a key role in the development, maturation, and deployment of advanced technologies for next‑generation weapon systems and information assurance products.

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…