Research Technologist 1/2

Role details

What You Will Do

This position is open for external candidates only to apply.

This position will be filled at either the Research Technologist 1 or Research Technologist 2 level, depending on the selected candidate's skills and experience. Additional responsibilities will be assigned at the higher level, as outlined below.

Sigma Division advances manufacturing science and metallurgical research in support of experimental programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The division provides prototype manufacturing and research and development capabilities for internal and external customers, supporting national security, defense, aerospace, nuclear energy, and other scientific applications.

Sigma-2 is seeking candidates for its Welding & Joining, Additive Manufacturing, Electrochemistry, and Characterization teams. Specific assignments will depend on the hiring team's needs and the selected candidate's qualifications. Candidates must have an extensive hands-on knowledge of relevant techniques and processes in one or more of the following areas:

• Welding & Joining: Supports electron beam and laser welding, laser marking and cutting, arc welding, brazing, and related processing. The team also uses computational methods to investigate material behavior and support process development.
• Additive Manufacturing: Develops and applies manufacturing methods including metal spray coatings, laser powder bed fusion, electron beam additive manufacturing, and ceramic additive manufacturing.
• Electrochemistry: Uses electrochemical processes to plate, polish, anodize, and modify metallic surfaces, with work ranging from small laboratory experiments to industrial-scale processing.
• Characterization: Prepares and examines materials using metallographic techniques and optical and electron microscopy to evaluate material structure and processing results.

Research Technologist 1 ($85,900-$139,900)

You will independently perform hands-on manufacturing and materials research and report to supervisor and other technical staff. Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead research efforts on projects of moderate size under guidance of senior staff.
• Independently analyze data and observations and develop preliminary interpretations.
• Prepare materials or samples, operating equipment, and supporting experiments.
• Contribute to development and implementation of ideas with minimal supervision to improve capabilities and grow in technology areas.
• Contribute to communications of research results to sponsors and others via presentations and reports.
• Perform equipment maintenance and calibration, assist with troubleshooting and repairs, and maintain laboratory supplies and organized workspaces.
• Work with team members to complete assignments safely and securely in accordance with group, facility, and Laboratory requirements.

Research Technologist 2 ($94,500-$154,600)

In addition to the responsibilities above, you will perform technical work with greater independence. Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead research efforts on projects of moderate size independently.
• Contribute to the development of specifications for project implementation and verify that the end product meets expectations and requirements.
• Communicate research results to sponsors and at technical conferences and author reports and peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Peer review research documentation and mentor other members of the team.
• Plan the next stages of technical work based on experimental findings and project needs.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of procedures and protocols.
• Coordinate equipment troubleshooting, maintenance, and repairs with technical staff and vendors, and assisting with work scheduling and supply needs.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements

Research Technologist 1

The successful level 1 candidate must have:

• Demonstrated experience in written documentation in the form of process documentation, procedures, or safety documentation.
• Experience maintaining laboratory space, organization, routine maintenance, calibration of laboratory instruments and equipment, tracking and maintaining/tracking lab supplies.
• Experience with recording procedures, equipment, and parameters used in technical/manufacturing work with an attention to detail to capture observations and data.
• Experience building relationships and interactively communicating to ensure processing equipment and experiments are operated safely in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Ability to work with computer systems and applications including PC software, and Microsoft Office Suite including data manipulation, and use of databases.
• Ability to interact effectively with colleagues and external collaborators through superior verbal communication and teamwork.
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance which typically requires U.S. citizenship.

In addition to the common requirements above, applicants must meet the requirements for at least one team listed below. Please identify your team or teams of interest in your application.

For the W&J Team

• Expertise with manufacturing operations in one or more of the following areas: electron beam welding, laser welding, laser marking, laser cutting and ablation, manual and semi-automatic arc welding, and brazing.

For the Additive Manufacturing Team

• Expertise with Laser Powder Bed (LPBF), Electron Beam Additive (EBAM) or other Wire Directed Energy Deposition (Wire DED) processes
• Experience in robotics (programming or operation).
• Experience handling and managing data across data types and sizes

For the Characterization Team

• Expertise with standard sample preparation of metallographic samples for the purpose of examining specimens by optical microscopy methods.
• Expertise with optical microscopy of metals and alloys for metallurgical characterization purposes.
• Expertise using an optical microscope, and/or scanning electron microscope (SEM) and/or related characterization methods (EDS, EBSD, XRD, XRF, etc.)

For the Electrochemistry Team

• Expertise working with hazardous chemicals
• Experience with quality control inspections, testing, titrations, to ensure bath chemistry meets specifications

Research Technologist 2

In addition, the successful level 2 candidate must have:

• Demonstrated mentoring and leadership/mentoring capabilities.
• Expertise in independently analyzing findings and data to develop an interpretation of results.
• A high attention to detail including strong organizational skills, analytical thinking, observation skills and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement new ideas and/or capabilities for growth in technology areas.

Education/Experience

Research Technologist 1: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution and 2 years related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Research Technologist 2: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution and 5 years related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working with hazardous materials, including radioactive and beryllium containing materials, in a safe and secure manner.
• Experience and/or familiarity working with vacuum systems and/or leak detection equipment.
• Experience maintaining, diagnosing, or repairing electronics equipment.
• Experience reading and assembling parts using drawings and schematics.
• Proven ability to work in a dynamic environment and adjust to changes.

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 [email protected] or call (505)-664-6947.

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