Cleared Mechanical Engineer - Cargo Restraint Design, 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.

About the role

We are seeking a highly driven R&D Mechanical Engineer to join a dynamic team supporting cargo restraint design for high-security assets in the Transportation Safeguards and Surety Program. This work involves the development, analysis, realization, and integration of cargo restraints and tie-downs for transporting some of our nation’s most critical assets.

• Use engineering principles and CAD tools to research, design, or develop complex hardware sets to demonstrate/validate cargo securement methodologies and designs.
• Troubleshoot existing tie-down schema to resolve technical or requirement deficiencies and evaluate and update as necessary.
• Conceptualize, design, analyze, and manage product realization of new tie-down schema for the next generation of cargo fixtures, restraints, and tie-down for transportation.
• Engage, interface, and team with subject-matter experts and members of the complex to ensure the success of the transportation mission.
• Initiate, design, develop, implement, and evaluate new processes, products, or systems through basic and applied research.
• Present concepts, designs, test data, analysis results, and status to management and team members.
• Provide consultation for one-off and hazardous shipping configurations.
• Learn and provide historical context for how and why certain schema and hardware are used.
• Collaborate with internal and external customers.
• Collaborate with various systems organizations to provide cargo securement technical support for test and evaluation.
• Provide on-site or remote support to responding agencies in the event of a secure transportation event.
• Travel as required, for training or to support project efforts.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, 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.
• Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent.

Qualifications We Desire

• 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.
• Producing mechanical designs, models, product definition of complex objects.
• Experience with Creo and Solidworks.
• Experience with finite element analysis tools.
• Realizing designs through production.
• Experience with PDMLink (Windchill) tools in creating mechanical product design definition to include 3D solid models and mechanical drawings.
• Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
• Presenting engineering concepts and designs to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Interacting and nurturing customer relationships.
• Test planning and execution (fit test, qualification testing, etc.).
• Independently seek definition, evaluate, analyze, and then realize mechanical designs based on requirements.
• Proven ability to lead design efforts to include engineers and designers.
• Sustainment activities and testing to evaluate state of health of the system.
• Engineering and design experience in and working knowledge of the transportation mission.
• Exceptional communication skills and proven ability to work in collaborative teams.
• Proven experience planning, detailing, and completing project plans.
• Strong dedication to a positive teaming dynamic, strong written/verbal skills, and a detail-oriented demeanor with a keen focus on customer service.

About Our Team

The Transportation Safeguards and Surety Center at Sandia supports the NNSA Office of Secure Transportation (OST) by conducting safety and security evaluations of OST operations, designing transportation systems, and identifying and demonstrating technology applications to enhance OST safety and/or security posture. Department 6621, Transportation System Analysis, provides cargo securement, R&D, quality, and safety basis development support to our customer for the transportation mission. The department is composed of engineers, analysts, quality engineering, and cargo securement SMEs who work together with the customer and other Sandia groups to help ensure the success of the transportation mission for our nation’s secure assets.

Pay

Salary range is estimated at $102,400 - $199,700. Actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Benefits

• Challenging work with significant impact contributing to national security, peace, and freedom worldwide.
• Extraordinary co-workers and some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world.
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities.
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions, including 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 vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance, and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance.

These benefits vary by job classification.

Security Clearance

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE directive 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 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.