What You Will Do
This position will be filled at either the Engineering Technologist 2 or Engineering Technologist 3 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.
The Accelerator Operations and Technology Division is seeking an Engineering Technologist (Level 2/3) to support the Accelerator Operations Group in the development, integration, and sustainment of mission-critical protective systems at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE)-a high-energy particle accelerator supporting medical isotope production, materials research, and national security missions.
The selected candidate will join the Protective Systems Team, responsible for the design, maintenance, and reliability of personnel access control, accelerator machine protection and lineup, and radiation safety interlock systems. This role includes contributing to the architecture, implementation, and commissioning of next-generation systems for the LANSCE Accelerator Modernization Project (LAMP), with close coordination across engineering, operations, and safety organizations to ensure compliant, fully integrated solutions.
This is a hands-on position spanning the full system lifecycle, including troubleshooting, hardware fabrication and assembly, cable development, and field installation. Additional responsibilities include developing and modifying electrical schematics, supporting configuration control, performing verification and validation, and assisting with procedures and system checkouts.
Daily work involves applying electrical and electronic system principles, signal integrity, and control logic to maintain high availability and reliability in a complex accelerator environment, while collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to implement robust, fail-safe designs and drive continuous improvement.
Engineering Technologist 2 ($96,600 - $158,000)
- Provide maintenance support for major personnel and equipment protection systems and alarms at the LANSCE Accelerator Facility.
- Work closely with technicians and engineers from our own and other Maintenance Support teams across the facility.
- Complete a formal training certification program and participate in rotating on-call schedule, which will involve after hours and weekend call-ins when required.
- Interact and collaborate effectively with internal and external colleagues at the team, group, division, and laboratory levels.
- Take lead role in system installation activities and development, which can include working outdoors and ladder climbing. Occasionally work in high radiation/contamination areas.
- Produce materials for technical reports, documents (including drawings and schematics), and presentations.
- Become a Senior Level Technician on the systems for which the team is responsible.
- Lead the development of Ladder Logic and network design for our Allen Bradley PLC systems.
Engineering Technologist 3 ($106,400 - $176,000)
In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, at this level:
- Expert knowledge of Allen Bradley PLC devices and programming.
- Demonstrated expertise in the maintenance, troubleshooting and upkeep of low voltage circuitry.
- Lead all phases of an assigned project from start to finish, including researching emerging technologies, testing and implementing solutions, and developing comprehensive documentation.
- Interact and collaborate effectively with internal and external colleagues, at the team, group, division, and laboratory levels.
- Train and educate others on the team, and across the site.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
- 5+ years of experience in a field relating to electronic system installation and troubleshooting.
- Proficiency solving complex problems using a variety of equipment, detailed drawings, wiring diagrams, and schematics.
- Experience with PLC programming and hardware installation.
- Experience in writing and reviewing technical documents such as operating procedures, electrical schematics, and wiring diagrams.
- Experience with a major CAD or ECAD Program (AutoCad, Mentor Graphics, Altium Designer, etc.).
- Proficient with standard shop tools such as soldering irons, drills, saws, punches, etc.
Additional Job Requirements for Engineering Technologist 3 :
In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requires:
- 8+ years of experience in a field relating to electronic system installation and troubleshooting.
- Expert with PLC programming and hardware installation, with demonstratable examples of system designs and installations.
- Proficiency with a major CAD or ECAD Program (AutoCad, Mentor Graphics, Altium, etc.), with demonstratable examples of documentation produced.
Desired Qualifications :
- Formal Allen-Bradley training on networks, ladder logic, and PanelView interface control.
- Schematic capture and PCB layout experience a plus.
- Demonstrated experience translating electronic design projects to drawings and system/circuit description documents.
Education/Experience at Engineering Technologist 2 : Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering Technology, Science, Math or a related degree and 5 years of directly related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.
Education/Experience at Engineering Technologist 3 : Position requires an Bachelor's Degree in Engineering Technology, Science, Math or a related degree and 8 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level, additional training and/or certification may be expected.
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.
Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 2 years.
Note to Applicants:
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.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
- 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
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance : Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and 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 and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements : To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test : The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and 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.
Regular position : Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.
Internal Applicants : Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity : Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947.