Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3/4 (Fire Protection System Engineer)

About the Role

This position will be filled at either the Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3 or 4 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional responsibilities will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

Join our world-class Engineering team at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and apply your engineering talents to impactful systems directly related to national security. Our diverse workforce thrives in a creative problem-solving environment where everyone's opinions and ideas are valued.

Nuclear facility engineers perform system engineering, design engineering, project engineering, safety basis, and nuclear criticality functions. Responsibilities include defining requirements for nuclear facilities, nuclear safety systems, nuclear operations equipment, procedures, test and acceptance requirements, and nuclear quality requirements. Engineers integrate with programmatic, operations, maintenance, document control, and project management personnel to ensure safe, secure, and effective accomplishment of LANL’s mission.

This role involves identifying and/or leading activities within a nuclear facility engineering discipline, working both independently and as part of a team. You will apply broad and diversified knowledge of nuclear facility engineering principles to prepare deliverables, utilize nuclear engineering technology, and continuously improve work processes to meet customer needs.

Responsibilities

• Support the LANL nuclear mission by implementing nuclear facility engineering regulatory requirements, including the Nuclear Safety Management Rule, DOE Orders and Standards, American Nuclear Society Standards, national consensus Codes and Standards, recognized quality standards, Laboratory requirements, and federal, state, and local regulations.
• Apply advanced knowledge of major commercial, industrial, or nuclear facility fire protection systems (e.g., Fire Alarm, Fire Suppression, Specialty fire suppression systems, passive fire systems, inertion systems, and/or public address systems).
• Demonstrate technical expertise in the engineering design process and/or maintenance of fire protection systems.
• Utilize fire modeling software and apply relevant Codes and Standards (e.g., IBC, IEBC, NFPA, IFC, UFC).
• Perform analysis and calculations to support engineered solutions, and effectively communicate technical issues to a broad audience.
• Work independently with minimal guidance, manage multiple tasks with varying resource needs and deadlines, and collaborate across teams to meet project goals.
• Apply technology-aided engineering tools (e.g., CAD, CNC, CAE) to resolve complex problems and develop unique software analysis tools.
• Demonstrate knowledge of safety issues and hazards related to nuclear or industrial facility operations, and lead projects to mitigate risks.
• Interact with all levels of personnel and customers, provide technical direction, mentor others, and serve as a role model for technical leadership.

For Nuclear Facilities Engineer 4: In addition to the above, responsibilities include:

• Leading activities within a nuclear facility engineering discipline, applying extensive knowledge of nuclear facility engineering principles and procedures.
• Demonstrated experience with industry, regulatory, or DOE/NNSA complex codes, standards, and criteria pertinent to nuclear facility engineering.
• Extensive experience in preparing and reviewing technical reports and studies to establish and maintain the Technical Baseline for facility structural systems.
• Defining and collecting metrics on usage, process, safety, and other parameters for structures, systems, or components.
• Developing design details, calculations, load studies, specifications, and special inspections incorporating applicable design requirements, including nuclear safety requirements.
• Evaluating and trending system health, interfacing with other engineering disciplines, and mentoring engineering interns and junior engineers.
• Contributing as a leader in engineering by integrating and coordinating multi-facility, cross-functional technical work activities and enhancing the skills of junior engineers through mentoring.

Requirements

Minimum Job Requirements

• Technical Expertise:
  • Advanced knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with major commercial, industrial, or nuclear facility fire protection systems (e.g., Fire Alarm, Fire Suppression, Specialty fire suppression systems, passive fire systems, inertion systems, and/or public address systems).
  • Advanced knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with the engineering design process and/or maintenance of fire protection systems.
  • Advanced knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with fire modeling software and its application.
  • Advanced knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with Codes and Standards (e.g., IBC, IEBC, NFPA, IFC, UFC).
  • Demonstrated ability to perform analysis and calculations to support engineered solutions.
  • Ability to work independently with minimum guidance and effectively communicate engineering solutions verbally and in writing.
• Collaboration:
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, implement new techniques, organize and prioritize tasks to meet tight schedules, and network effectively across an organization.
• Tools and Systems:
  • Advanced knowledge of and experience with technology-aided engineering tools (e.g., CAD, CNC, CAE).
  • Proven ability to program and develop unique software analysis tools to resolve complex issues.
• Safety:
  • Demonstrated knowledge of safety issues or potential hazards related to nuclear or industrial facility operations and the ability to define deliverables or lead safety-related projects.
• Leadership:
  • Demonstrated ability to interact with all levels of personnel and customers, provide technical direction, mentor others, and serve as a role model for technical leadership.

Additional Requirements for Nuclear Facilities Engineer 4

• Technical Expertise:
  • Extensive knowledge and experience in nuclear facility engineering processes, maintenance techniques, work planning and control development, Quality, Safety Basis, and other Nuclear Facility safety management programs.
  • Demonstrated experience with industry, regulatory, or DOE/NNSA complex codes, standards, and criteria pertinent to nuclear facility engineering.
  • Expert knowledge of nuclear facility engineering principles, procedures, guides, and administrative practices.
  • Extensive knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with major commercial, industrial, or nuclear facility fire protection systems.
  • Extensive knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with the engineering design process and/or maintenance of fire protection systems.
  • Extensive knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with fire modeling software and its application.
  • Extensive knowledge of and demonstrated technical experience with Codes and Standards (e.g., IBC, IEBC, NFPA, IFC, UFC).
  • Extensive experience in preparing and reviewing technical reports and studies as part of establishing and maintaining the Technical Baseline for facility structural systems.
  • Extensive experience in defining and collecting metrics for structures, systems, or components.
  • Extensive experience in defining or establishing design or analysis tasks, preparing design concepts, developing design details, calculations, load studies, specifications, and special inspections.
  • Extensive experience in evaluating and trending system health, and interfacing with other engineering disciplines as the Fire Protection Subject Matter Expert (SME).
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor engineering interns and other engineers.
• Leadership:
  • Advanced knowledge of and experience contributing as a leader in engineering, including integrating and coordinating multi-facility, cross-functional technical work activities.
  • Experience leading projects, meeting deliverables for senior management, and enhancing the technical and professional skills of junior engineers through mentoring.

Qualifications

Education/Experience for Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 6 years of practical work experience in relevant engineering responsibilities.
• Advanced engineering or technical degree is highly desired.
• Current registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) is highly desirable.

Education/Experience for Nuclear Facilities Engineer 4

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 12 years of practical work experience in relevant engineering responsibilities.
• Advanced engineering or technical degree is highly desired.
• Current registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) is highly desirable.

Skills

Desired Qualifications for Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3

• Advanced knowledge and application of DOE Orders and Standards.
• Advanced knowledge and application of the engineering design process.
• Advanced knowledge and application of facility/systems engineering processes.
• Advanced knowledge and application of design development and execution processes.
• Advanced knowledge and application of electrical and/or mechanical applications relevant to fire protection systems.

Desired Qualifications for Nuclear Facilities Engineer 4

• Extensive knowledge and application of DOE Orders and Standards.
• Extensive knowledge and application of the engineering design process.
• Extensive knowledge and application of facility/systems engineering processes.
• Extensive knowledge and application of design development and execution processes.
• Extensive knowledge and application of electrical and/or mechanical applications relevant to fire protection systems.

Pay

• Nuclear Facilities Engineer 3: $128,000 - $215,900
• Nuclear Facilities Engineer 4: $153,600 - $266,500

Work Location

This position is onsite in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Regular appointment employees must serve a period of continuous service in their current position to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. The position commitment for this role is 1 year.