Electrical Engineer; R&D Engineer

Position: Electrical Engineer (R&D Engineer 2 or 3)
** What You Will Do*
* ** This position will be filled at either the Job Title Lower/Higher level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate.  Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.*
* The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division (AOT), Radio Frequency Engineering (RFE) group is seeking an R&D Engineer 2 or 3 for the 201.25 MHz High-Power Radio-Frequency (201 HPRF) team.

The AOT division maintains, operates, and upgrades all accelerator systems used at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) complex. These consist of two 750-keV Cockcroft-Walton-based injector systems (H+ and H- systems), a 201.25-MHz drift-tube linear accelerator (LINAC) utilizing high-power diacrode tubes, an 805-MHz coupled cavity LINAC utilizing high-power klystrons as the primary power source, a proton storage ring, and roughly a kilometer of beam transport lines that deliver beam to the five independent research programs.

The RFE group is principally responsible for all radio frequency (RF) systems and their associated amplitude and phase control in relation to the accelerating beam.

Due to the different types of equipment that we are involved with, when working in AOT-RFE no day is the same as the next. Members of the 201 HPRF team are involved in the design, construction, testing and installation of high-frequency high-power amplifiers dedicated to produce the RF power to achieve optimal acceleration and bunching of the beam. The 201 HPRF team works on tetrode and Diacrode vacuum tubes and their kilowatt to multi-megawatt amplifier structures, solid-state amplifiers, coaxial transmission lines, combining/splitting high-power components, circulators, the high-voltage and high-current power supplies to provide power to the amplifiers, and analog and digital electronics and controls.

Additionally, this position will support the LANSCE Modernization Project (LAMP) that will replace the front-end of the accelerator (injector systems and drift-tube LINAC). The 201 HPRF team will be responsible for modifications and upgrades to the RF systems in support of those efforts, such as high-power testing of RF components, controls upgrades, high-voltage power supply upgrade, etc.

** R&D Engineer 2 ($106,400 - $176,000)*
* The 201 HPRF team at LANSCE is looking for a candidate with a background in Electrical Engineering or related field to join the RF Engineering group. This is a support role with dynamic responsibilities, guided by the priorities of the High-Power Radio Frequency (HPRF) plant and upgrades required for LAMP. Duties include the design of analog and digital electronics to control and monitor amplifier systems while taking into account reliability, obsolescence and ease of maintenance.

In addition, this position involve the study of complex electrical and electronic systems and creation of whole system schematics and high level documentation for high-voltage and analog electronics. Close collaboration and coordination with other engineers and technicians on the 201 HPRF team along with cooperation across other accelerator systems groups (such as mechanical, instrumentation and accelerator physics) is expected.

** R&D Engineer 3 ($128,000 - $215,900)*
* In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, at this level the successful candidate will independently lead the development and execution RF amplifier systems projects as a part of LAMP. This includes owning the full design and procurement process, including defining electrical, thermal, and mechanical interfaces, and developing installation plans that ensure system performance, reliability, and safety. The role also involves conducting hazard analyses and preparing safety documentation to maintain regulatory compliance.

** What You Need*
* ** Minimum

Job Requirements:

*
* + Proficiency in the development of whole system electrical schematics, including power, monitoring and controls.

+ Proficiency with CAD software designed for electrical/electronics such as AutoCAD, kiCAD, Altium and/or Eagle.

+

Experience with circuit simulation tools (e.g. PSpice, LTSpice).

+ Experience in RF,…