Nuclear Weapons Scientist (Scientist 2/3)

This position will be filled at either the Scientist 2 or Scientist 3 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

About the Role

X-Theoretical Design (XTD) is a national resource for deterrence of existing or emerging threats. We are experts in the physics of nuclear weapons, tasked with designing nuclear explosives for the US stockpile, bolstering the nation's nuclear triad capability, and assessing global nuclear threats. We use advanced theoretical, numerical, and experimental methods to understand nuclear weapons design, performance, and safety.

XTD scientists come from diverse backgrounds and fields, including physics, engineering, mathematics, and other natural sciences. We prioritize learning, scholarship, and independent thinking, collaborating across disciplines, divisions, academia, other laboratories, and agencies.

As a scientist in XTD, your skills from the unclassified world will be honed through one-on-one mentoring, formal coursework, and on-the-job training to create the skills required to be effective in the classified world of nuclear weapons design and assessment.

Responsibilities

Scientist 2 ($106,400-$176,000)

• Develop a thorough capability to solve problems of national security interest with large multi-physics and/or radiation transport codes.
• Contribute to experimental design, model development, data evaluation, and/or code validation.

Scientist 3 ($128,000-$215,900)

• Lead projects that rely on knowledge of nuclear weapons.
• Mentor junior staff.
• Fulfill all responsibilities of the Scientist 2 level.

Requirements

Minimum Job Requirements:

Scientist 2:

Technical Knowledge

• Demonstrated experience with one or more of these related tasks:
  • Developing, running, or validating complex multi-physics and/or radiation transport codes.
  • Experimental design and analysis.
  • Theoretical or analytic work that underpins computational physics models or experimental design.

Professional Skills

• Commitment to quality research, technical and scientific excellence, professional integrity, scientific communication, supporting diverse points of view, and personal initiative.

Collaboration

• Proven ability to work independently and in a team environment on multidisciplinary research problems.

Technical Contributions

• A documented history of technical contributions to a scientific field in the form of publications, technical talks, patents, etc.

Additional requirements for Scientist 3:

Technical Leadership

• Demonstrated technical leadership along with supervisory and/or mentoring experience.

Qualifications

Education/Experience

Scientist 2: Position requires a bachelor's degree in a STEM field from an accredited college or university and 4 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Scientist 3: Position requires a master's degree in a STEM field from an accredited college or university and 6 years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Skills

Desired Qualifications:

• PhD preferred with postdoctoral work in Physics, Computational Science, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Active DOE Q Clearance.
• Experience with large-scale computing.
• Familiarity with the design and analysis of nuclear weapons.
• Knowledge and experience relative to uncertainty and/or risk analysis.
• Relevant military and/or intelligence experience.

We include a broad range of experience; any of these skills may be noted in the cover letter. There is no expectation that a candidate has all, or even more than one, of these skills.

Work Environment

• Work Location: Onsite in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
• Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service (1 year for this position) in their current role to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory.

Benefits

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Free basic life and disability insurance.
• Paid childbirth and parental leave.
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually).
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance.
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays).
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs.
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50-mile radius).

Clearance

This position requires a Q clearance. Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. Obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government.

Citizens of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders), are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, including Los Alamos National Laboratory.