Vacuum Technology and Data Acquisition Research Technologist

What You Will Do

This position will be filled at the Research Technologist 2 level. Sigma-1 is seeking qualified applicants for a research technologist. The Sigma Complex is a prototyping and fabrication facility that provides material, components, and manufacturing science to Los Alamos experimental programs. Customers include the US nuclear weapons program, DOD, academia, intelligence agencies, and others. Sigma Division works with materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, ceramics, uranium, and beryllium.

You will work in a highly collaborative team environment, interfacing with Sigma Division staff and deployed personnel (Industrial Hygiene, Health Physics, Shipping, Facility Operations) to complete program objectives. You will work with vacuum/pressure systems, including operating existing systems and designing new systems to meet experimental objectives. Daily operations require understanding and applying vacuum technology, mechanical design and construction, experimental control, data acquisition, analytical techniques, and instrumentation.

You will communicate results through oral and written reports to scientists, engineers, technicians, and technologists. Organization skills and teamwork are required.

Research Technologist 2 will be responsible for:

• Design, construction, testing, and operation of vacuum/pressure systems and equipment.
• Installation, design, testing, and operation of computer-based experimental control and data acquisition systems/equipment (particularly Lab View or PLC-based systems).
• Preparation of engineering drawings to support design and assembly of fixtures and equipment.
• Working with radioactive materials and other hazardous materials, chemicals, and solvents in a rigorous safety environment.

You will apply the scientific method to address technical problems, operate and troubleshoot commercial and home-built equipment, and analyze data from experiments in the context of underlying scientific principles or models. You will interface with staff scientists to carry out collaborative work and communicate results both verbally and in writing.

Minimum

Job Requirements:

• Experience in design, construction, testing, and operation of vacuum/pressure systems and equipment.
• Experience with software such as CAD, LabVIEW, MATLAB, and Origin.
• Experience with electrical systems/electronics.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to learn, operate, and maintain analytical instrumentation.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new techniques independently while working under guidance of experienced personnel.
• Written and oral communication skills, including 2–3 years of experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a Q-clearance.

Education/

Experience:

Position requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and 5 years related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired

Qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge and demonstrated experience (3–5 years) in design, construction, testing, and operation of vacuum/pressure systems and equipment.
• Advanced knowledge and demonstrated experience (3–5 years) in designing and programming data acquisition routines (e.g., LabVIEW, Click PLC).
• Advanced knowledge and demonstrated experience (3–5 years) with constructing and operating data acquisition systems and data analysis.
• Ability to develop and modify equipment design, experimental methods, and procedures to achieve prescribed experiment objectives.
• Experience working in glove boxes.

Ability to apply torque with hands or arms, good hand–eye coordination and fine motor control, ability to lift 25 pounds to a height of 3–4 feet and load into an enclosed space.

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If not, approval from the Division Leader is required. The position commitment…