Senior/Principal R&D Radiography Materials Scientist ¿ Materials Characterization and Performance Team, Onsite

About the job

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:

We are seeking a motivated scientist or engineer (R&D S&E Materials Science) to advance Sandia¿s science and engineering programs by leveraging our state-of-the-art radiography and computed tomography capabilities. The successful candidate will apply sound technical judgment grounded in fundamental scientific principles and engineering methodologies to deliver impactful national security research. This role demands expertise in conducting rigorous, original, and independent research focused on assessing the integrity of manufactured components critical to our scientific and defense missions. As a key member of the Sandia/California Radiography team, the candidate will contribute to component design and process development, materials evaluation, failure analysis, product and process qualification, and other research and development (R&D) activities requiring radiography and advanced non-destructive evaluation techniques.

On any given day you may:

• Conduct innovative, original, and independent research leveraging current capabilities and AI/ML techniques to advance broad national security mission objectives, including cross-site collaborative proposal development to capture Sandia-internal and external funding.

• Support daily evaluation of the structure and integrity of critical manufactured components through experiments and AI/ML-driven experiments and data analysis using existing tools to deliver immediate results.

• Perform materials evaluation and failure analysis with advanced software and machine learning models to define product requirements and specifications.

• Design components and processes, including fixtures for 2D/3D radiography, integrating AI/ML methods to enhance materials research, fabrication, and application development.

• Provide on-site consultations to engineers on product/process qualifications, visual assessments, drawing reviews, and AI-assisted imaging tool recommendations.

• Operate, maintain, and enhance unique digital radiography and computed tomography capabilities, applying AI/ML for improved image processing and analysis, collaborating with national security and energy customers and lab teams to deliver accurate solutions.

• Promote workplace safety by analyzing hazards, developing controls, and documenting safety procedures and best practices.

• Present R&D results at workshops, conferences, and meetings, publish in peer-reviewed journals, and foster partnerships to expand lab capabilities, emphasizing AI/ML-driven innovations.

The position requires an ability to travel up to 15% to support the mission.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite 100% of the time at the Livermore, CA facility.

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

Salary Range:

$139,900 - $280,600

*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.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy Q-level security clearance.

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D S&E Materials Science candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Materials Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).

• Experience in a research and development environment.

• Experience with materials characterization techniques.

• Experience working on teams consisting of multidisciplinary and multi-disciplinary experimentalists, modelers, and theorists with a common goal.

• Effective interpersonal skills for giving presentations, preparing reports, writing articles, and explaining the important aspects of technical work to customers.

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

• Master¿s degree or higher in Materials Science, Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field, with at least ten years of relevant experience demonstrating the expertise and skills required for the role; a Ph.D. in one of these fields with 2-5 years of relevant professional experience is preferred.

• Proven experience with X-ray imaging technologies, such as digital radiography and computed tomography, along with proficiency in using image analysis software to process and interpret digital imaging data.

• Proven track record of technical excellence and innovation, and demonstrated ability to perform original, independent research as evidenced by publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

• Experience in the use of AI tools in the design and execution of autonomous experiments, data analysis, and decision science.

• Ability to work autonomously while collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary teams.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage and collaborate within a team environment.

About Our Team:

The Materials Characterization and Performance Department, Sandia Livermore, CA specializes in research involving the characterization of materials for energy and national security applications. Projects and capabilities in the department's research portfolio revolve around advanced micro and nanoscale materials characterization, including extensive electron microscopy, X-ray tomography and radiography. Our research brings together complementary experimental and modeling approaches to understanding relationships among material structure, chemistry, bonding, and performance. The team is committed to attracting, retaining, and cultivating an outstanding workforce representing a broad group of people and perspectives.

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:

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.

Job ID: 699794

Job Family: RD

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F