Occurrence Investigator; Contractor Assurance Specialist

What You Will Do

Apply your investigative and analytical skills to work that truly matters. Los Alamos National Laboratory - one of the most innovative and creative multidisciplinary research institutions in the world - is seeking a Contractor Assurance Specialist 2 (CAS-2) to join the Institutional Reporting Team (IRT). The IRT is responsible for the Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS) and conducts causal analyses that support the Laboratory's abnormal events and issues management process.

This is investigative work with a purpose. In this role, you will investigate events, gather facts, interview those involved, and analyze what happened and why. You will develop clear, accurate reports and causal analyses that help leaders make informed decisions, strengthen operations, and reduce risk. Your work supports continuous improvement, operational excellence, and ultimately the Laboratory's national security mission. If you enjoy asking important questions, connecting details, and producing high‑quality work that influences real outcomes, this role offers both challenge and growth.

Salary Range (CAS-2): $85,900 - $139,900

• Conduct occurrence investigations for ORPS‑reportable events, gathering facts, interviewing involved workers and witnesses, coordinating SME input, and establishing accurate event timelines to support reporting requirements.
• Develop and submit ORPS reports, including initial, update, and final reports, ensuring factual accuracy, classification review, and compliance with DOE O 232.2A reporting timelines; revise and resubmit reports to address DOE/NNSA feedback.
• Perform causal analyses using a graded approach, selecting analytical methods (e.g., 5‑Why, change analysis, barrier analysis, events and causal factor charting, Ishikawa diagrams, Blue Dragon root cause analyses) appropriate to the issue's significance and regulatory requirements.
• Identify causes and apply DOE cause codes, ensuring accurate documentation in the Issues Management tool to support institutional trending and continuous improvement.
• Support fact‑finding meetings, capturing firsthand accounts, collecting essential documentation, confirming event categorization, and aligning follow‑up steps with FODs, RLMs, SMEs, and involved workers.
• Coordinate with Responsible Line Managers (RLMs) to ensure causal analysis results support effective corrective action development and, when applicable, Extent of Condition (EoC) or Extent of Cause (EoCa) evaluations.
• Maintain and distribute final event documentation, ensuring reports and supporting materials flow to stakeholders such as FODs, RLMs, DOE/NNSA FR/DDR, PAAA personnel, and are correctly recorded in iLINK and EDRMS.

• Partner with customers, functional managers, and senior leaders on matters related to abnormal events, program performance, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with ES&H and operational SMEs to evaluate event severity using a graded approach and to support institutional learning.
• Prepare high‑quality written products, including event summaries, analysis documentation, and occurrence reports, with clarity and accuracy.
• Support deployment of CAS processes that promote fact‑based performance improvement and institutional learning.

Contractor Assurance System: Working knowledge in one or more CAS‑related areas such as audits and assessments; lessons learned; metrics/trending/analysis; risk analysis; issues and corrective actions management; process improvement; investigations or compliance;
Operating Excellence.

Investigation & Regulation: Experience investigating abnormal events and/or applying complex regulatory requirements, including working with operations and SMEs to capture accurate event facts.

Causal Analysis: Experience gathering and assessing event information and applying at least one formal causal analysis method (5‑Why, change analysis, barrier analysis, Ishikawa, events and causal factor charting).

Reporting & Technical Writing: Ability to write clearly, concisely, and accurately with minimal editorial revision while meeting DOE reporting…