Job description

Mechanical Engineering Lead, Assembly and Production At Salas O’Brien, we tell our clients that we’re engineered for impact. This passion for making a difference applies just as much to our team as it does to our projects. That’s why we’re committed to living our values every day: inspiring, achieving, and connecting as shared owners of our success with a focus on a sustainable future. Building for the long-term means that all of our team members can expect to work on amazing projects with a people-first approach to problem solving. It also means that each member of our team has truly limitless potential to build a unique, meaningful, and high-impact career—and they’ll receive great total rewards along the way. About Us: Founded in 1975, Salas O’Brien is an employee-owned engineering and professional services firm focused on achieving impact for our clients, our team, and the world. We know that tomorrow’s requirements are today’s opportunities, and we are here to design lasting solutions for pressing challenges. We work across a variety of industries providing integrated engineering and consulting services. Our specialized experience includes design for data centers, healthcare, science and technology, high-rise buildings, clean energy, education, and other building types as well as structural and building sciences, infrastructure asset management, advanced robotics, nuclear sciences and more Our technical expertise is paired with an exceptional team of business development, human resources, finance and accounting, information technology, and marketing professionals, all of whom play a key role in bringing our commitments to life every day. Job Summary: TechSource a Salas O’Brien Company is hiring an experienced full-time Mechanical Engineering Lead to support the Advanced Sources and Detectors (ASD) Program and the Scorpius accelerator project. This is a unique opportunity to join one of the Department of Energy's most significant accelerator initiatives at a pivotal moment. The selected candidate will help bridge decades of technical knowledge developed in Los Alamos with the expansion of long-term program capabilities in Las Vegas. Working closely with LANL technical leadership, this individual will serve as a hands-on engineering leader responsible for technical execution, knowledge transfer, team development, and operational excellence. This position is ideal for a highly respected engineer who enjoys remaining technically engaged while leading people, mentoring staff, solving complex engineering challenges, and helping establish the foundation for a program expected to span multiple decades. Reporting directly to the Group Leader, this individual will help build and develop a growing engineering team while serving as a trusted technical resource for project leadership, engineers, operators, and stakeholders across the Scorpius enterprise. Responsibilities: • Provide technical leadership and engineering oversight for accelerator systems, engineering operations, and program execution activities supporting the Scorpius ASD mission. • Serve as a primary interface between Los Alamos National Laboratory technical teams and Las Vegas-based program personnel to ensure successful knowledge transfer, technical consistency, and mission alignment. • Develop subject matter expertise across accelerator systems, assembly activities, operational readiness, engineering processes, and system integration efforts. • Mentor engineers, technologists, and operations personnel while helping establish a culture of technical excellence, disciplined operations, and continuous learning. • Support planning, scheduling, resource loading, prioritization, and execution of engineering activities to meet program objectives. • Collaborate with project managers, engineers, quality personnel, operations staff, and customers to resolve technical issues and maintain program performance. • Lead technical reviews, design discussions, readiness activities, risk assessments, and operational planning efforts. • Assist with development of engineering processes, work packages, procedures, training programs, and operational documentation. • Support configuration management, engineering change processes, system testing, commissioning, and startup activities. • Participate in strategic planning activities that support long-term program growth and future mission execution. • Provide technical guidance during system troubleshooting, maintenance, assembly, integration, and operational activities. • Support recruitment, onboarding, development, and retention of engineering personnel as the organization expands. How to Be Successful • Lead by example through technical credibility, operational discipline, and strong engineering judgment. • Balance strategic leadership responsibilities with day-to-day technical engagement. • Build trust and credibility across multiple organizations and stakeholder groups. • Demonstrate the ability to mentor developing engineers while influencing senior technical leaders. • Effectively communicate complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences. • Remain adaptable in a fast-paced environment where priorities evolve with program needs. • Drive accountability while fostering collaboration and team development. • Maintain a strong commitment to safety, quality, mission execution, and continuous improvement. Qualifications and Experience: • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline. • Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible engineering experience supporting complex technical, scientific, defense, nuclear, aerospace, accelerator, or high-consequence systems. • Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, projects, or operational organizations. • Experience supporting system integration, testing, commissioning, manufacturing, operations, or large-scale technical programs. • Experience with project planning, scheduling, resource management, and execution of technically complex work. • Strong communication, leadership, mentoring, and stakeholder engagement skills. • U.S. Citizenship required. Preferred Qualifications: • Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field. • Experience supporting accelerator systems, pulsed power systems, high-voltage systems, diagnostics, advanced scientific facilities, or national laboratory programs. • Experience supporting Department of Energy, NNSA, national laboratory, defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated environments. • Knowledge of Conduct of Engineering, Conduct of Operations, Configuration Management, Readiness Processes, Integrated Safety Management, and Quality Assurance principles. • Experience leading startup, commissioning, production, or operational readiness activities. • Professional Engineer (PE), PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or related professional certification. Location & Travel : This role will be fully on-site in Los Alamos, NM for the first 1-2 years of the project. Please consider this when applying to the job. Compensation & Benefits: The expected base salary range for this role is $160,000 - $220,000 USD per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and location. This role is also eligible for performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive U.S. based benefits package, including: • Medical, dental, and vision insurance • 401(k) with company match • Paid time off and company holidays • Wellness programs and employee assistance resources • Professional development support For more information, visit our full benefits overview here . Equal Opportunity Employment Statement Salas O’Brien provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, colour, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, or local laws. Salas O’Brien will accommodate the disability-related needs of applicants as required by law.

Requirements

Must-haves

Mechanical Engineering Lead, Assembly and Production
Provide technical leadership and engineering oversight for accelerator systems, engineering operations, and program execution activities supporting the Scorpius ASD mission.
Serve as a primary interface between Los Alamos National Laboratory technical teams and Las Vegas-based program personnel to ensure successful knowledge transfer, technical consistency, and mission alignment.
Develop subject matter expertise across accelerator systems, assembly activities, operational readiness, engineering processes, and system integration efforts.
Mentor engineers, technologists, and operations personnel while helping establish a culture of technical excellence, disciplined operations, and continuous learning.
Support planning, scheduling, resource loading, prioritization, and execution of engineering activities to meet program objectives.
Collaborate with project managers, engineers, quality personnel, operations staff, and customers to resolve technical issues and maintain program performance.
Lead technical reviews, design discussions, readiness activities, risk assessments, and operational planning efforts.
Assist with development of engineering processes, work packages, procedures, training programs, and operational documentation.
Support configuration management, engineering change processes, system testing, commissioning, and startup activities.
Participate in strategic planning activities that support long-term program growth and future mission execution.
Provide technical guidance during system troubleshooting, maintenance, assembly, integration, and operational activities.
Support recruitment, onboarding, development, and retention of engineering personnel as the organization expands.
How to Be Successful
Lead by example through technical credibility, operational discipline, and strong engineering judgment.
Balance strategic leadership responsibilities with day-to-day technical engagement.
Build trust and credibility across multiple organizations and stakeholder groups.
Demonstrate the ability to mentor developing engineers while influencing senior technical leaders.

Nice-to-haves

Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field.
Experience supporting accelerator systems, pulsed power systems, high-voltage systems, diagnostics, advanced scientific facilities, or national laboratory programs.
Experience supporting Department of Energy, NNSA, national laboratory, defense, aerospace, or other highly regulated environments.
Knowledge of Conduct of Engineering, Conduct of Operations, Configuration Management, Readiness Processes, Integrated Safety Management, and Quality Assurance principles.
Experience leading startup, commissioning, production, or operational readiness activities.
Professional Engineer (PE), PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or related professional certification.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Platform: ukg
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Dental

Vision

401(K)

Paid Time Off

Wellness

Professional Development