Neutron, Gamma-ray, & Particle Sensing Project Chief Engineer (R&D Engineer 4)

About the role

The Intelligence and Space Research (ISR) division at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a Chief Engineer to lead the technical execution of current and next-generation space-based payloads in the Neutron, Gamma-ray, and Particle Sensing (NGPS) project as part of the Space Nuclear Detonation Detection (SNDD) program.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement appropriate engineering policies, processes, and standards to support the design, integration, and production of the NGPS payloads.
• Develop and maintain a deep system-level understanding of current payload design, performance and on-orbit behavior to support operations and anomaly resolution.
• Lead technical efforts to resolve issues related to payload design, host integration, and on-orbit operations.
• Provide technical leadership across multidisciplinary engineering team (electrical, software, mechanical, and systems engineering) to ensure successful project execution.
• Serve as a core member of the project leadership team, contributing to decisions on cost, schedule, scope, risk, and staffing.

Requirements

• Technical Knowledge:
  • Experience in electrical, mechanical, software, or systems engineering design from concept through production.
  • Experience developing system architectures and concepts that were successfully implemented and utilized.
  • Experience in system test, integration, and validation.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical anomaly resolutions and debugging efforts.
• Technical Leadership:
  • Experience leading engineers, technologists, and technicians for medium to large projects.
  • Demonstrated ability to define technical strategy and program direction.
• Communication:
  • Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, with all levels of staff and customers.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across organizational boundaries.
  • Strong conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
• Collaboration:
  • Proven ability to work independently and in multi-organizational teams.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple and changing priorities and to create detailed action plans.
  • Demonstrated ability to foster innovation, technical excellence, and creativity.
• Team Dynamics:
  • Experience fostering team cohesion with a diverse group of technicians, engineers, and scientists.
  • Experience leveraging ingenuity, creativity, and personal independence to support multiple and concurrent team tasks.

Qualifications

• Minimum Job Requirements:
  • Technical Knowledge: Experience in electrical, mechanical, software, or systems engineering design from concept through production.
  • Experience developing system architectures and concepts that were successfully implemented and utilized.
  • Experience in system test, integration, and validation.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical anomaly resolutions and debugging efforts.
  • Technical Leadership: Experience leading engineers, technologists, and technicians for medium to large projects.
  • Demonstrated ability to define technical strategy and program direction.
  • Communication: Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, with all levels of staff and customers.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across organizational boundaries.
  • Strong conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
  • Collaboration: Proven ability to work independently and in multi-organizational teams.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple and changing priorities and to create detailed action plans.
  • Demonstrated ability to foster innovation, technical excellence, and creativity.
  • Team Dynamics: Experience fostering team cohesion with a diverse group of technicians, engineers, and scientists.
  • Experience leveraging ingenuity, creativity, and personal independence to support multiple and concurrent team tasks.
• Desired Qualifications:
  • Experience with space flight and high-reliability hardware development and testing methods.
  • Experience developing radiation detection systems (gamma-ray, neutron, or particle sensing).
  • Experience leading engineers and technicians from design concept through completed systems.
  • Experience with Radiation Hardness Assurance and High Reliability Parts Standards.
  • Demonstrated experience working with and handling classified information.