Senior/Principal Engineering Program/Project Lead - Explosive Materials, 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 vacations, 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

We are seeking an Engineering Program/Project Lead for Department 07555, Explosive Materials, who will be leading the technical interface for the HE&E (High Explosives and Energetics) program for Sandia covering the entirety of the production and maturation projects for energetic materials.

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

• Plan and direct engineering and technical projects for internal Department 7555 in areas of Energetic Material Production, Research and development, and Process Improvement activities, and external customers in 7550 for the LIHE Annex and EMSAT Equipment, coordinating as required with work performed in other internal (7550 for AMD/Tech Mat, A&L, Surveillance, and LDRD project integration) and external organizations such as NA-193.3 and systems groups.
• Define requirements for energetic material batches and processing, including project scope, schedules, cost estimates, and deliverables that support mission objectives according to IRA documents and FYNSP schedules.
• Negotiate deliverables, both scope and schedule, with external program and systems customers and partners, leading teams to achieve deliverables on time and within budget and organize resources to implement scope.
• Manage project resources of cost and personnel to ensure that deliverables and objectives are met according to the project management plan for NA-193.3 scope and sub-projects.
• Provide technical and engineering support to one or more aspects of the program or project, specifically for technical risk reduction activities, coordinating efforts with PIs for WPAs and engaging on solutions to roadblocks and unexpected technical challenges to create solutions and continue progress.
• Provide leadership and tactical planning for execution of projects across the 15M annual budget of NA-193.3, applying engineering and technical knowledge to achieve project objectives and deliverables.
• Use engineering and technical judgment to negotiate with customers and program managers to ensure that resources are available to accomplish the work, identify procurement and contracting needs, and marshal resources to complete project deliverables within the scope, schedules, and budgets defined in project work packages.
• Oversee project teams in the planning, tracking, and execution of project plans from initiation to completion through Project Plans traced with NNSA’s tool, G2, on a monthly basis.
• Manage changes in project scope using change management plans, identifies potential issues, and devises contingency plans, as necessary and in partnership with the line manager and SMEs within the program.
• Use technical judgment built upon a strong engineering or technical background to lead technical teams in the area of explosive material manufacturing and characterization, identify potential project risks, develop risk mitigation strategies and corrective actions, and recommend risk acceptance or avoidance for all aspects of the project. Will also perform risk management functions for the entirety of all technical and programmatic risks for Group 7550 within this role.
• Negotiate with the customer on matters of customer requirements and limitations, presenting technical content, challenges, accomplishments, and improvements to the Program Office Bi-annually at NECC meetings and EOY reviews.
• Conduct technical and program reviews to report status of cost, schedule, and performance to management and customers.
• Develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and presentations on an annual, biannual, quarterly, and monthly basis depending on the customer requirements and the audience in participation. Will include technical reporting and a deep understanding of the projects and technical aspects of ~30 individual work scopes within the Program funding.
• Make recommendations for addition, expansion, or discontinuance of projects as needed with technical judgement and understanding of projects within the portfolio.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. This position has an expectation of travel up to 4 weeks a year.

Salary Range

$109,300 - $217,400

• 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

• Bachelor's and Master's degree in relevant STEM discipline plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Bachelor’s degree in relevant STEM discipline plus 5 years of relevant experience
• Experience in one or more scientific or engineering disciplines
• Experience with technical project management practices for technical work, (i.e., developing project plans, work breakdown structures, and work packages; managing to scope, schedule, budget, and technical baselines; and/or documenting baseline reports and change control actions)
• Experience with material synthesis, manufacturing, and/or process implementation or development
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire

• Knowledgeable about Energetic operations
• Ability to make decisions requiring scientific, engineering, and programmatic judgment.
• Knowledge of the technical or operational discipline of the assigned project.
• Demonstrated leadership skills, including the ability to successfully plan, organize, lead, and monitor team efforts to completion.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to team across disciplines.
• Ability to model behaviors that reflect Sandia's core values.
• Active Q clearance

About Our Team

The Explosive Materials Department, Organization 7555 is an integral part of the Explosives Technologies Group at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Explosive Materials Department is located within the Explosives Components Facility and is responsible for the development, characterization, and performance evaluation of energetic materials (explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics). This includes activities related to aging, materials compatibility, production process evaluation, material research/development and anomaly characterization as they relate to performance of energetic materials.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

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, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance 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 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.