Space Electronics and Signal Processing Post Masters

About the Role

Come join the brightest minds in cutting-edge space technology! The Intelligence and Space Research Division (ISR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking highly motivated individuals for a challenging postgraduate internship at the post-masters level within the Space Electronics and Signal Processing Group (ISR-4). ISR-4 supports a wide range of national security and scientific missions by developing electronics and signal processing systems for advanced space and remote sensing instruments. Our interdisciplinary teams of engineers, technicians, and scientists work, learn, and succeed through a highly creative and dynamic R&D environment.

The ISR-4 Post Masters program offers year-round internships for recent graduates interested in electronics engineering, embedded systems, signal processing, and space-based instrumentation. The program provides mentoring, hands-on technical experience, and professional development opportunities through a normalized work plan complementing the student's chosen area of study. These professional development opportunities may include funding for additional educational opportunities.

Projects will vary depending on your skills and interests and the Laboratory's current needs. You may contribute to projects involving:

• Embedded electronics design and layout
• Analog circuit design for specialized detectors
• Digital signal processing and data collection
• FPGA, firmware, or embedded software development
• Radiation-tolerant or radiation-hardened single board computers
• Specialty power supply design
• Applied RF and antenna design
• Instrument integration, testing, troubleshooting, and verification
• Data acquisition systems for spaceflight or ground-based sensing applications

Although this position is centered in ISR-4, students frequently collaborate with engineers, scientists, and project teams across the ISR Division to develop innovative, high-reliability instruments for unattended, long-term, failure-free operation in demanding environments such as high radiation, high temperature, and space. These collaborations may include space science, electromagnetic sensing, flight software, mechanical design and integration, remote sensing, systems assurance, nuclear sensing, and mission operations teams. This cross-disciplinary environment provides broad exposure to how advanced instruments are designed, built, tested, and deployed for real-world applications.

Requirements

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Education or experience in one or more of the following areas relevant to ISR-4:
  • Electrical engineering, computer engineering, applied physics, or other related STEM discipline
  • Electronics design
  • Embedded systems
  • Analog or digital circuit design
  • Signal processing
  • FPGA development
  • PCB design and layout
  • Data acquisition systems
  • RF systems or antenna design
  • Power electronics
  • Instrumentation or sensor systems
  • Space hardware development

Education/Experience: MS Degree from an accredited program in any STEM field completed within the past 3 years with a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.

Qualifications

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with laboratory electronics equipment such as oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, function generators, network analyzers, or logic analyzers
• Experience with circuit simulation, schematic capture, or PCB layout tools
• Familiarity with microcontrollers, embedded processors, FPGAs, or single board computers
• Experience with programming languages (C/C++, Python, MATLAB, or similar) and/or hardware description languages (VHDL, Verilog)
• Interest in high-reliability electronics for space, radiation, or other demanding environments
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills
• Strong leadership skills

Work Location

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Located in Northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. LANL enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.

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)

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China—including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau—as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (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, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

No clearance is required for this position. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks. The Laboratory maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.