Power Systems Electrical Engineer (R&D Engineer 3/4)
Los Alamos National Laboratory· Research & Development (National Security)· Oct 7, 2026 · 20d ago
Los Alamos, New Mexico
In office
Full-time
Senior
$154K–$267K
6+ years exp
Job description
What You Will Do
The Technology Applications Group (A-3) is searching for a technical leader who wants to positively impact on national security. The group has a reconfigurable micro-grid that is being leveraged for a variety of work, and needs a power systems engineer to design experiments, manage operations on the microgrid, validate experiments designed by other scientist/engineers for safety and relevance, and lead program development efforts.
The ideal R&D Engineer or Scientist will have a broad experience/knowledge base across power generation, transmission, and distribution. They will also have experience with applied experimentation and deep expertise in one or many areas of power systems. Research will be conducted up to the Q and SCI levels within the Group, which consists of approximately 40 full-time staff from various educational backgrounds including electrical and mechanical engineers, designers, technicians, technologies, physicists, and students. This staff member will be expected to work across the breadth of Laboratory resources and expertise to most effectively execute on mission.
R&D Engineer 3 ($128,000-$215,900)
This position requires an experienced engineer who is capable of independently executing on projects or leading a team to advance work associated with the microgrid and/or other relevant areas for the group. The candidate must possess expertise in power generation, transmission, or distribution, and have excellent communication skills interacting across all levels of staff. They must also be interested in program development.
R&D Engineer 4 ($153,600-$266,500)
In addition to level-3 requirements, the R&D Engineer 4 will independently develop and direct projects, build teams across the group or laboratory while providing technical guidance to other engineers and technicians, and communicate at the highest levels with sponsor organizations and internal to LANL. They must also have demonstrated experience securing funding through a proposal process.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
R&D Engineer 3:
• Familiarity with Utility and Facility power infrastructure
• Knowledge of medium and high voltage distribution and monitoring equipment (SCADA, networking, load balancing)
• Ability to design experimental setups for real world application of theoretical ideas
• Experience working in a lab environment (knows what a screwdriver is, not just CAD)
Additional Job Requirements for R&D Engineer 4:
• Extensive knowledge of Utility and Facility power infrastructure
• Independent planning and execution of experimental goals
• Broad knowledge of power electronics including solid state inverters, battery backup arrays, solar conversion systems, and power monitoring equipment
• Advanced experience in leadership as demonstrated thru the proven ability to develop proposals and reports of major importance, by prioritizing and tracking cross-functional progress, and through frequent interactions with sponsors while serving as a role model for effective and creative technical leadership
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 3 level:
Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 6 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred.
Education/Experience at R&D Engineer 4 level:
Position requires a Master's Degree in Engineering from an accredited institution and 12 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level a Ph.D. may be preferred.
Desired Qualifications:
• Experience with the following:
• Design, synthesis, routing, simulation, testing, and technical documentation of digital circuits and digital communication systems/digital signal processing
• Debugging & troubleshooting circuits/prototypes, including fault analysis
• Complex network interfacing and design
• Field collection, signal processing, and data analysis for RF measurements from kHz to GHz
• High voltage AC and DC practical application
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement advance algorithms enabling real-time analysis and response to data/sensor input
• Thorough understanding of Utility and Facility level power infrastructure, devices, and distribution
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of safety protocol, hazard identification and analysis, IWD development, and/or serving as an organizational ESO.
• Active Q and SCI clearances
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 1 year.
Note to Applicants:
For full consideration, please provide a comprehensive cover letter and resume, outlining how you meet the minimum requirements and desired qualification noted above.
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.
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.
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