Job Description

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: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

Are you passionate about employing innovative technologies to solve critical national security problems? Would you like to join a dynamic team that solves challenging issues in the national defense and intelligence communities? If so, we invite you to explore this new and exciting opportunity in our organization!The High-Reliability Special Comms Department is seeking highly motivated RF/microwave/sensor design engineers to participate in the development of advanced RF systems, circuits, antennas and concepts for current and future national security applications. The selected candidate will have demonstrated the ability to work in a dynamic teaming environment, sharing resources as well as programmatic responsibilities across the group.On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Contribute to conceptualization, requirements development, circuit design, modeling/simulation, and product realization.
• Experience in one or more of the following disciplines:
• antenna design,
• RF/microwave circuit design,
• RF/microwave system design.
• Design, Prototype, characterize, and troubleshoot RF/microwave and antenna hardware in state-of-the art laboratory facilities.
• Provide mentoring, coaching, and guidance on mixed-signal (RF, analog, digital) electrical designs being delivered in operational systems.
• Find innovative ways to enhance our processes and products.
• Gain and maintain a big picture awareness to help guide technical direction while working closely with customers and user communities.
• Shape future systems and develop new CONOPS.

Salary Range:

$114,000 - $227,500

*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 STEM discipline and five (5) years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and relevant experience defined by the following parameters:
• An Associate’s degree in a relevant discipline plus nine (9) years of directly related relevant work experience; or
• A High School Diploma plus thirteen (13) years of directly related relevant work experience.*
• *Equivalent education and experience must be engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Current active DOE Q-level or DoD TS security clearance required to start.

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D Microwave and Sensor Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a highly related STEM field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Ability to work independently and collaborate well in a diverse team of designers and test engineers.
• Outstanding verbal and written skills, including the ability to develop and present briefings that are clear and compelling.

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

• Experience in design and analysis of RF communications systems and circuits
• Experience in scripting language (i.e. Matlab, Octave, and/or Python)
• Experience in RFIC design including tapeout, packaging, testing, and integration
• Experience with high consequence electronics applications (ex. Space, weapons, and/or other high-security applications)
• Experience managing diverse requirements in a classified environment
• Familiarity with electromagnetics modeling, design, and tuning of unique form-factor antennas
• Experience with commercial RF/microwave circuit simulation and antenna design tools such as HFSS, ADS, CST, Momentum, Genesys, FEKO, IE3D, etc.
• Experience with mixed signal digital, RF/Microwave, and analog hardware design including schematic capture and layout of high density printed wiring assemblies incorporating micro-controllers and FPGA’s
• Knowledge of Digital Communications, radar, and/or EW systems and principles
• Ability to work effectively on both small and large development teams (two-to-eight members)
• Strong oral and written communication skills and an ability to explain complex ideas clearly and concisely
• Ability to obtain and maintain SCI access which typically requires a polygraph

About Our Team:

The High Reliability Special Communications Department (5372) develops terrestrial, airborne, and space based special communications systems for use in surveillance and reconnaissance and high value target and material controls. Our customers include a variety of government organizations conducting special operations missions. Staff members have a diverse skills base including microwave circuit design, antenna design, signal analysis, digital signal processing, embedded software, and digital FPGA designs. Applications include long and short-range communications and transponder systems, typically utilizing ultra-low power signaling techniques. Our design challenges include highly miniaturized electronics, low-power maximally efficient transceivers, signal extraction in very low signal-to-noise environments, and signal analysis of RF and communication systems.

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 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.

Job ID: 695127

Job Family: RD

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.