Senior/Principal R&D CAMINO Technical Portfolio Lead Engineer, 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.

Are you interested in joining a dynamic team that bridges critical national-security missions and cutting-edge manufacturing strategy? CAMINO is seeking a mid-career scientist or engineer who thrives on multi-disciplinary collaboration, problem-solving, and delivering real mission impact. In this role, youll work to establish CAMINOs Advanced Manufacturing (AdvM) Project portfolio, launching and funding projects both within and external to CAMINO in alignment with our Technical Thrusts and Roadmap. This role offers the opportunity to lead projects within CAMINOs Advanced Manufacturing facilities, but more importantly develop a portfolio of projects across Sandia and beyond. The portfolio will include direct-funded research and indirect-funded demonstrator and post-R&D work. It would also include large multidisciplinary lighthouse projects with Advanced Manufacturing as a key enabler. The role will require close coordination with CAMINO Management and CAMINOs Thrust Leads to identify evolving Mission demand signals, cultivate a community of principal investigators, and funnel project findings into CAMINOs AdvM trust infrastructure.

This role offers the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of Sandia experts, covering additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital engineering, materials science, and process engineering, so strong technical acumen and exceptional communication skills are essential. Although posted as an R&D Mechanical Engineer, candidates from all related science and engineering backgrounds (Chemistry, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, etc) are encouraged to apply.

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

• Act as a point of technical contact for CAMINO and DREA2M inquiries
• Prepare concise, technically grounded progress updates for stakeholders and leadership
• Manage a portfolio of projects, including milestone tracking, status updates, and management reporting
• Advise on experimental plans and technical approaches when needed
• Conduct hypothesis-driven research in advanced manufacturing, material science, chemistry, or other CAMINO relevant fields
• Serve as CAMINOs POC for multi-office Lighthouse projects
• Synthesize data and findings into clear written and verbal reports
• Provide guidance towards CAMINOs equipment investments and four-year technical roadmap
• Monitor and guide CAMINO thrust projects across Sandia and partner organizations
• Coordinate closely with CAMINOs technical-thrust leads on project scopes and priorities
• Liaise with staff, technologists, researchers, and management across Sandia, partner labs, universities, and vendors for both CAMINO and DREA2M activities.
• Champion CAMINOs culture of rigorous safety, security, and collaboration

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

• 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 obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

The ideal R&D Mechanical Engineer 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:

• Experience in national security product realization
• Experience in project ownership and team leadership
• Experience working in a laboratory environment
• Experience in aspects of Advanced Manufacturing, including additive manufacturing, digital engineering, automation, artificial intelligence, or other related fields
• Active DOE Q Clearance

Our team champions Sandias Advanced Manufacturing Strategic Initiative through two complementary programs. CAMINO (the Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation) accelerates product realization by connecting advanced manufacturing resources with Mission and S&T stakeholders at Sandia and beyond. DREAM (Digitally Realized and Enabled Agile Advanced Manufacturing) is our LDRD Mission Campaign funding high-risk, high reward R&D across several core challenges, including rapid materials discovery, design for advanced manufacturing, and real-time inspection and autonomous control. Together, we bridge design, production, and R&D: defining mission demand signals, driving sprint style prototype campaigns, embedding qualification and acceptance from day one, and spinning cutting-edge research into mission grade manufacturing capabilities. Our work spans the full product lifecycle materials through systems integration while forging partnerships with national labs and sites, universities, and industry to ensure Sandias capabilities stays ahead of evolving threats.

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.