Reliability Engineer; R&D Engineer

Reliability Engineer (R&D Engineer 2/3) –
Los Alamos National Laboratory

The Product Realization and Reliability Office (PRRO) in Nuclear Production Operations supports plutonium programs across the entirezaam organization. This role provides engineering support for all ALDWP/NP production activities, driving continuous improvement and sustainability of existing processes, procedures, and operations.

• Lead and facilitate cross‑functional teams to analyze workflows, develop defect‑reduction strategies, conduct manufacturing analysis and root‑cause analysis, data analysis, problem resolution, and implement solutions and improvements.
• Ensure that quality requirements are effectively identified and implemented internally and externally.
• Develop and implement metrics, statistical process control charts, and production data sources.
• Lead and document Failure Mode Effects Analysis, Fault Tree Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, and problem analysis.
• Develop, coach, and lead continuous improvement projects.
• Support production and technical readiness reviews.
• Develop and implement trend analysis processes and drive yield improvement.
• Implement strategic initiatives designed to drive long‑term improvement to quality metrics, including cost of poor quality and non‑conformances.
• Develop partnerships with薾 site leaders, program managers, product managers, and engineering functions to define
  
  HELL steps necessary to implement continuous improvement strategies.
• Process walks and use metrics to drive continuous improvements across programs.
• Support internal and external audits to assess compliance with quality management system standards.
• Set direction and goals for well‑defined tasks involving more than one person; analyze tasks within a project and define deliver/inites at the task level; lead specific project tasks to meet scope, schedule and budget.
• Actively participate in professional societies, NNSA/DOE complex interactions, special assignments, external working groups, and meetings.
• Provide peer review of the work of others across organizations or disciplines.
• Develop mentoring skills to mentor peers and junior staff in technical and professional growth.
• Maintain state‑of‑the‑art technical expertise and knowledge within discipline and develop new skills in related disciplines. Attain additional certifications and/or qualifications to grow in field, including advanced educational degrees.
• Foster a mutually respectful and inclusive work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment.

• Degree(s) in electrical, mechanical, material, industrial, manufacturing, or another relevant engineering discipline.
• Experience in manufacturing and/or reliability engineering, statistical process control, data acquisition, data analysis, and solution implementation.
• Experience in manufacturing process development.
• Familiarity with process modeling.
• Knowledge of configuration management principles and practices.
• Familiarity with AS9100 Quality Management Systems.
• Experience in project development, reporting, and management.
• Application of advanced design, development, evaluation, and quality assurance techniques for complex engineering projects.
• Experience driving cross‑functional teams.

• Conduct detailed analyses to solve a wide range of complex problems requiring imaginative, thorough, practical solutions aligned with organizational objectives.
• Use analytical techniques and tools from simple hand calculations to sophisticated multi‑physics simulations.
• Be accountable for completing and documenting work within agreed cost and schedule.
• Present work for peer reviews and serve as a peer reviewer for other engineers’ projects.
• Utilize a range of analytical techniques and tools to develop effective solutions.

• Knowledge of Weapons Quality requirements, e.g., NAP‑401.1, DPBPS.
• Experience in NNSA product realization processes.
• Knowledge and experience in discrete manufacturing techniques.
• Familiarity with the A3 Problem‑Solving Methodology.
• Certification in Six Sigma, Lean, CORE, odnos and/or American Society for Quality.
• Application of advanced analytics to process monitoring and control.
• Experience with programming, simulation, or statistical analysis software.

Fully onsite in Los Alamos, NM.

Q clearance is required; obtaining such clearance requires U.S. citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal‑opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, or citizenship within federal limits. The Laboratory is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.