Space Instrument Integration and Test Engineer (R&D Engineer 2)

at  Los Alamos National Laboratory

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE:

Experience in at least one of the following areas is required: high voltage systems, cleanrooms/contamination control, charged particle beam systems, lasers, or ultra-high vacuum systems. This position involves many technical skills, and the expectation is that the successful candidate will start with some basis of experience and then grow into other areas with mentoring from engineers, scientists, and technicians in ISR. Passion for learning and applying new skills and knowledge is critical for this position.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree or PhD in mechanical or aerospace engineering
• Experience with Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, SolidWorks, CREO, sealed radioactive sources, lasers, ultraviolet light sources, space-flight hardware, contamination control, cleanroom operations, and schematic reading
• Experience evaluating space instruments at the component, assembly, and integrated levels for adherence to outgassing and other contamination specifications
• Experience building and analyzing mathematical models (CFD, FEM/FEA), especially for venting/pressure, humidity control, and contamination
• Experience building experimental test setups to evaluate contamination environments
• Active Q clearance

The Intelligence and Space Research (ISR) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a multi-discipline research and development engineer to join our collaborative and dynamic team! The ideal candidate will be a skilled hands-on worker with experience designing test setups; authoring documentation including test plans, procedures, and reports; handling flight hardware in cleanrooms; planning, overseeing, and supporting environmental and calibration tests; and evaluating test readiness including monitoring and assessment of contamination-control measures.
The Space Instrument Realization Group (ISR-5) provides engineering and technical expertise to develop and deploy high-quality, innovative measurement systems for national security and scientific missions. ISR-5 is composed of electrical and mechanical engineers, systems engineers, technicians, project control specialists, and technical project managers, all of whom engage on interdisciplinary, high-performance project teams that span conceptual development to deployment. The ISR Division has been designing, building, and operating highly innovative ground, air, and space-based measurement and detection systems for 60 years. Examples of ISR Division projects include space-based measurement systems for verification of international nuclear treaties, basic scientific missions, nuclear nonproliferation, space situational awareness, and remote sensing. In addition, we lead experiments on NASA missions, including the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars Rovers, Van Allen Probes, IBEX, and IMAP.

This position involves a wide variety of engineering, scientific, and hands-on work in various ISR laboratories, including our ion beam facilities for testing and calibration of space plasma spectrometers as well our environmental test facilities (dynamics and TVAC). On any given day, examples of work performed might include the following:

• Writing or reviewing test setup documentation including plans and procedures for dedicated tests or across campaigns
• Evaluating test performance and authoring test reports and other post-test documentation, including presentation of results
• Supporting environment tests including shock, vibration, and thermal, including contamination control of equipment under test
• Using and maintaining Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) systems and their components using cleanliness standards typical of UHV systems as required for spaceflight instruments; example equipment includes high vacuum pumps, (cryo, turbo, and ion), roughing pumps, Temperature Controlled Quartz Crystal Microbalances (TQCMs), Residual Gas Analyzers (RGAs), and motion control systems
• Supporting the assembly and operation of ion and electron detector systems and their associated electronics, including microchannel plates, channel electron multipliers, and Faraday cups
• Providing mechanical engineering design expertise or support for custom vacuum components and fixturing or other mechanical ground support equipment (for example, using SolidWorks or CREO)
• Evaluating (both quantitatively and providing subject matter expertise) contamination environments for instruments highly sensitive to molecular and particulate contamination, including providing support and collaborating with dedicated cleanroom staff
• Testing and calibrating space instruments or innovative experiments for next-generation space payloads