Senior/Principal R&D Mechanical Engineer - Tethered Balloon Systems, 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.

We are seeking an electromechanical or mechanical research and development engineer (job title: R&D S&E, Mechanical Engineering) to support atmospheric science field experiments using large, tethered aerostat systems. This position supports a mission-critical, multidisciplinary research program conducting field-based experiments for science and national security related applications. The selected candidate will work closely with other scientists, engineers, and technologists to design, integrate, test, deploy, and operate scientific instrumentation and tethered balloon flight systems in both laboratory and field environments. This role requires a high degree of technical breadth, operational flexibility, and personal initiative. The work is hands-on, often time-sensitive, and conducted in environments that demand strong attention to safety, procedures, and teamwork.

Field Deployments and Travel Requirements: This position requires regular and extended travel - up to 16 weeks per year - to support atmospheric field campaigns at varied locations. Field deployments typically involve extended workdays of 14+ days, physically demanding outdoor activities, and operations in challenging environmental conditions, including extreme heat or cold. Candidates must be prepared to work in remote and harsh environments for extended periods. Travel and fieldwork are essential functions of this role and include all phases of deployment: preparation, execution, and demobilization. Candidates must be willing and able to fully participate in these activities. Field operations may involve non-standard work hours and sustained effort during deployment periods. While demanding, this work provides opportunities for meaningful contribution to high-impact missions in the national interest.

This role supports the full lifecycle of airborne scientific field experiments, requiring adaptability to evolving mission needs.

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

• Design, fabricate, and integrate mechanical and electrical systems for airborne miniaturized scientific instrumentation, using 3D printers, CNC milling, plasma cutting and other fabrication tools
• Develop, integrate and deploy data acquisition systems for tethered balloon operations, including monitoring of key variables and avionics
• Engineer and troubleshoot instrumentation and sub-systems in both lab and field environments
• Assist and lead multi-disciplinary teams in all aspects of tethered balloon systems (TBS) deployments from mission planning, logistics, field site setup, installation, and validation of instrumentation and data collects
• Conduct mechanical and structural design and analysis using engineering software
• Rapidly prototype and implement engineering solutions to operational challenges in both laboratory and field environments
• Follow stringent Environmental, Safety, and Health protocols, including FAA aviation safety requirements

Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate 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.

• 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 obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance.
  

The ideal R&D S&E, Mechanical Engineering 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:

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or other relevant field
• Valid driver's license and willingness to drive with trailers to transport mission-critical equipment
• Experience with engineering and simulation software such as SolidWorks, ANSYS Mechanical, Star CCM+, and MATLAB
• Proven experience designing, fabricating, and integrating mechanical and electromechanical systems for airborne scientific instrumentation
• Strong mechanical design and fabrication skills, including 3D printing, CNC machining, welding, and composite materials fabrication
• Demonstrated ability to operate and support field campaigns, including extended travel and physically demanding outdoor work in extreme environmental conditions
• Experience with microelectronics and micro controller-based embedded systems
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in field deployment and laboratory settings
• Experience with airborne platforms such as aircraft, UAV, tethered balloons
• Experience with scientific data acquisition systems, automation, sensing instrumentation, thermal imaging, or aerosol sampling systems
• Experience designing and validating structural composite components through computational modeling and experimental techniques
• Familiarity with power sources and low-voltage power design for stand-alone applications
• Proven ability to rapidly prototype and troubleshoot mechanical and electrical systems in field environments
• Strong organizational skills, including project tracking and visualization
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate closely within multidisciplinary teams and flexibility to support mission needs beyond narrowly defined tasks
• A professional, constructive approach to teamwork and leadership
• Willingness to support mission objectives under dynamic and high-pressure conditions
• Ability to remain effective and agile during extended field deployments and non-standard work hours
• Commitment to conducting work safely, thoroughly, and in alignment with Sandia National Laboratories' values
  

The staff in the Atmospheric Sciences Department (8613) at Sandia National Labs have expertise in atmospheric measurements and modeling. Technical activities cover the spectrum from theory to application, including computational modeling, data inversion, instrumentation and measurement systems development, field demonstration, field campaign execution, and field site management. Particular expertise exists in the measurement of atmospheric processes in both the Arctic and with high altitude balloons and tethered balloon systems. The department serves as a Laboratories resource for atmospheric sensing expertise.

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.

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 citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

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.

If offered the position, you may be required to demonstrate your fitness to perform certain physical aspects of the position, including lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.