ECSE - Senior Mechanical Engineer

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).  Our MISSION is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by providing high-hazard experimentation and incident response capabilities through operations, engineering, education, field, and integration services and by acting as environmental stewards to the Site’s Cold War legacy.  Our VISION is to be the user site of choice for large-scale, high-hazard, national security experimentation, with premier facilities and capabilities below ground, on the ground, and in the air. (See NNSS.gov for our unique capabilities.) Our 2,750+ professional, craft, and support employees are called upon to innovate, collaborate, and deliver on some of the more difficult nuclear security challenges facing the world today.   

• MSTS offers our full-time employees highly competitive salaries and benefits packages including medical, dental, and vision; both a pension and a 401k; paid time off and 96 hours of paid holidays; relocation (if located more than 75 miles from work location); tuition assistance and reimbursement; and more.  
• MSTS is a limited liability company consisting of Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell), Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs), and HII Nuclear Inc.

The Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) is seeking an outstanding Staff Engineer supporting the Advanced Sources and Detectors (ASD) Project as part of the Scorpius Accelerator Group. ASD is responsible for developing the world’s newest and most advanced Linear Induction Accelerator (Scorpius). Scorpius will be installed 963 feet underground at the NNSS where it will generate high-current, relativistic electron beams that will be converted into intense bremsstrahlung x-ray pulses used to interrogate dynamic materials driven by high explosives.

In this role, you will be expected to apply a range of theoretical, computational, and experimental techniques. Experience with large pulsed power equipment and systems (linear induction accelerators, pulsed diodes, high power lasers, Z-pinch machines, high magnetic fields, etc.) is preferred.
 

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a key member of ASD Technology Maturation and Design teams to address mechanical designs related to Scorpius accelerator mechanical engineering systems.
• Help plan and conduct work-requiring judgment in the evaluation, selection, application, and modification of mechanical parts and assemblies.
• Implement new approaches for designing and drafting complex chassis builds and mechanical assemblies.
• Plan, guide, or prepare administrative and technical documents as required for the design and build of complex assemblies.
• Apply creative solutions to produce 3D CAD designs of Scorpius accelerator systems, structures, and components.
• Produce high-quality engineering assembly and component manufacturing drawings to ASME Y14.5 standards.
• Research, analyze, design, test, and verify engineering and technology solutions.
• Plan, schedule, and coordinate the preparation of activities or documents related to the project.
• Support research and development, and technology maturation activities in laboratory testing environments.
• Adapt to evolving R&D design requirements while meeting safety, security, compliance, and schedule imperatives.
• Ability to work under limited technical direction exercising Engineering judgement.
• Advises senior team members on technology utilization and development.
• May be invited to serve on internal and external technical committees.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) required for Civil, Mechanical and Electrical engineering degrees
  • Or, Calculus-based STEM bachelor’s degree in engineering
  • Or Professional Engineer license
• Plus at least 5 years’ relevant experience. Skill building experience must demonstrate either deeper technical specialization or additional cross-disciplinary knowledge; graduate research experience may be recognized.
• Knowledge of how codes and standards of other disciplines affect their discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in precision mechanical design of structures, systems, and components, with due consideration to design for manufacturability.
• Demonstrated knowledge and implementation of various fabrication processes including metals machining, welding, and metal forming.
• Demonstrated experience working within a formal design process environment, including supporting engineering change orders and approvals.
• Demonstrated experience interfacing with machine shops and machine shop operations and resolving manufacturing issues with fabricators.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to interact effectively with all levels of MSTS personnel, as well as external partners and customers.
• Ability to collaborate with vendors and others across the DOE Complex. 
• Able to plan, prepare and conduct specialized technical training on advanced methods, processes, and best practices.
• Desired Skills:
  • Experience working on large-scale accelerators and high vacuum systems.
  • Experience analyzing, designing, and/or building systems associated with particle accelerators, such as beam transport magnets, vacuum systems, support structures, precision alignment, fluids & gasses, precision machine design, and beam heat transfer management.
  • Experience planning and directing the work of designer/drafters and technicians.
  • Demonstrated experience successfully leading technical projects or teams.
  • Proficiency using PTC Creo mechanical CAD software. 
• Able to manage working at multiple sites - the Losee Road facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada, the Nevada National Security Site (located 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada) and as needed, LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory), LLNL (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and SNL (Sandia National Laboratories).
• Ability to balance work activities and travel.
• Work schedule for this position will be 4/10’s, Monday – Thursday (subject to change).
• Pre-placement physical examination, which includes a drug screen, is required. MSTS maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.
• Must possess a valid driver's license.
   

MSTS is required by DOE directive 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 offered employment with MSTS are also 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. In addition, Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship, at least 18 years of age. Reference DOE Order 472.2, “Personnel Security”. 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.

Department of Energy Q Clearance (position will be cleared to this level). Reviews and tests for the absence of any illegal drug as defined in 10 CFR Part 707.4, “Workplace Substance Abuse Programs at DOE Sites,” will be conducted.  Applicant selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation, required to participate in subsequent reinvestigations, and must meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. Successful completion of a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination, may also be required. Reference 10 CFR Part 709, “Counterintelligence Evaluation Program.”

MSTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. MSTS is a background screening, drug-free workplace.

Annual salary range for this position is: $101,524.80 - $152,297.60.

Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate education and experience and internal equity.