Senior​/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - National Security Products Center, NM​/CA, Onsite

Albuquerque, NM;
Livermore, CA

Full-Time

Regular

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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..gov

* These benefits vary by job classification.

Our hardware supports national security. Our systems must perform in demanding environments. Our engineers help turn concepts into reliable mechanical products that support some of the nations most important missions.

We are seeking motivated and team-oriented R&D Mechanical Engineers to support the research, design, development, analysis, testing, qualification, production, and sustainment of complex mechanical systems, components, tooling, test hardware, and advanced material structures for nuclear deterrence programs. This is hands-on, mission-connected engineering across the full product lifecycle from early concepts and requirements through design, prototyping, fabrication, test, qualification, deployment, production support, and fielded-system sustainment.

We are hiring across multiple departments, and selected candidates may support a broad range of mission-focused technical areas, including mechanical component design, handling and test gear, gas transfer systems, pressure systems, composite structures, fixtures, tooling, production hardware, structural hardware, and experimental test systems.

You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams that may include systems engineers, materials scientists, manufacturing engineers, test engineers, designers, analysts, quality partners, production organizations, and program stakeholders. This role is well suited for engineers who enjoy solving complex technical problems, working hands-on with hardware, collaborating across disciplines, and applying sound engineering judgment to high-consequence systems.

This position offers the opportunity to build technical depth while seeing your work become real hardware that supports real national security missions.

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

• Design mechanical components, assemblies, tooling, fixtures, handling gear, test equipment, pressure-system hardware, or structural components.
• Develop early concepts and mature them into producible engineering designs.
• Create, interpret, review, and redline engineering drawings, product specifications, and design documentation.
• Apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing principles to support design definition, inspection, and manufacturability.
• Use CAD tools to model parts, assemblies, tooling, and mechanical systems.
• Support fabrication, assembly, prototype builds, production activities, and hardware troubleshooting.
• Work with manufacturing partners to resolve production challenges and improve design manufacturability.
• Develop and execute test plans to evaluate design performance, reliability, durability, and qualification readiness.
• Conduct mechanical, environmental, pressure, structural, materials, or component-level testing.
• Collect, process, analyze, and interpret experimental data to inform design decisions.
• Use engineering analysis, simulation, or finite element tools to evaluate concepts and support technical recommendations.
• Participate in product qualification activities, including test planning, execution, documentation, reporting, and review.
• Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to integrate mechanical designs into larger systems and mission applications.
• Document technical work through reports, briefings, design reviews, test reports, and presentations.
• Support project planning, cost and schedule…