Cleared Senior/Principal Microwave & Sensor Engineer - Special Technologies, Onsite

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at:

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Are you passionate about your work and eager to leverage state-of-the-art facilities to explore innovative solutions for national security? The Advanced Concepts & Solutions Group (5930) specializes in advanced technologies and engineering concepts, designing, delivering, testing, and evaluating operational systems for the U.S. Government's Strategic Partnership and Strategic Intelligence Partnership Programs. We are seeking a strong and adaptable Microwave & Sensor Engineer to support both project leadership and technology development while also driving innovation and engaging with customers in program development.

The selected candidate will employ a system-level approach to plan and execute technology development, testing, and integration against customer requirements, balancing development activities with technical feasibility and application. You will collaborate with personnel from various departments to manage the full lifecycle of technical projects and evaluate existing systems. You will also lead efforts to gather comprehensive information, ensuring that teams have clear, verifiable requirements to pursue effective solutions.

On any given day, you may be called upon to:

• Collaborate with a diverse team of engineers, scientists, and program management to develop solutions and ensure mission success while addressing technical challenges for national security.
• Respond to dynamic partner requests and maintain a strategic programmatic trajectory, fostering innovation to achieve impactful results.
• Build and cultivate partnerships across multiple U.S. government agencies and programmatic interfaces to enhance mission objectives and develop symbiotic relationships.
• Assemble multidisciplinary technical teams to tackle current and emerging problems based on customer requirements, ensuring resource availability for quick response efforts.
• Communicate results effectively to stakeholders, providing insights and trade-offs to facilitate informed decision-making while ensuring compliance with OPSEC and security requirements.
• Advise management on project opportunities and risks, initiate trade studies with subject matter experts, and develop proposals to pursue innovation and expand critical opportunities.

Occasionally travel domestically up to four times a year.

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Active DOE Q-level and SCI security clearance or equivalent (e.g., DOD Top Secret/SCI).

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D S&E Microwave & Sensor Engineering candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Laboratory skills and knowledge of RF and digital test equipment.
• Knowledge of RF, Digital Communications, Electronic Warfare, and Cyber Security systems and principles.
• Ability to work successfully in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, teaming environment.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Experience in the following:
  • Work with U.S. government customers within the defense and intelligence communities.
  • Leading programs and teams to successful outcomes, often while facing ambiguous and fluid customer requirements.
  • Designing, planning, and leading projects for U.S. government agencies within the defense and intelligence communities.
  • Developing and presenting briefings that are clear and compelling.
• Proven ability to connect technical experts from diverse disciplines to effectively meet sponsor needs and deliverables.
• Proven ability to collaborate with external U.S. government customers and communicate effectively on both technical and programmatic topics.
• Demonstrated problem solving skills and ability to flexibly exercise a `big picture¿ mindset in a program/project setting to apply a holistic approach for analyzing a customer gap and identifying solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to implement high-quality standards while establishing and maintaining effective and positive relationships with internal and external partners at all experience and authority levels.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams.

About Our Team

Our mission in Integrated Threat Intelligence (Center 5900) is to anticipate, assess, and address the nation¿s most complex non-proliferation challenges. In an uncertain and rapidly evolving world, the acceleration of nuclear weapons proliferation and the growth of global civilian nuclear power create a system of interdependent risks that must be detected, understood, and mitigated.


Our objective is to provide the United States government with advanced systems and technologies, deep expertise, and situational awareness to confidently anticipate, assess, and address potential nuclear proliferation threats worldwide. By leveraging close working relationships with government sponsors, we offer technical leadership to the U.S. Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense, helping to achieve national non-proliferation objectives.


The Advanced Concepts & Solutions Group (5930) focuses on innovative technologies, advanced engineering concepts, and technology assessments for the U.S. Government. The departments form technologically diverse teams and leverage a wide-ranging network of expertise at the laboratories to deliver for their sponsors.


The Special Technologies Department (5935) performs design and analysis of mission-critical mechanical and electrical systems for various government agencies. 5935 is responsible for delivery of diverse sets of solutions by leveraging expertise ranging from materials science to embedded hardware and cybersecurity. We develop solutions from concept to delivery to include design, manufacture, integration, and validation.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) SCI security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.


If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.