R&D S&E, Microwave & Sensor Engineer (Early Career)

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

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.

Salary Range:

$88,600 - $172,300

*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.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

Our team is seeking a highly motivated RF and Microwave Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Software Engineer. Your primary focus will be the analysis of signals, the development of signal detection algorithms for advanced RF communications systems for National Security applications in RF Cyber Security and Electronic Warfare applications. You will become a member of a multi-discipline, success oriented high-performance team. Our advanced communication systems generally include highly optimized Size, Weight, and Power constrained groundbreaking signal processing transceivers, antennas, & processing on GPUs, FPGAs, and CPUs. We develop primarily with GNU radio, C++, and python, but also desire expertise in the areas of machine learning and embedded FPGA processing for front end energy detection and processing. Projects range from urgent, quick-reaction requests in response to urgent real-world driven needs to longer term 3-5 year efforts.

This R&D Microwave and Sensor Engineer position requires on-site work in a collaborative electronics laboratory environment using iterative/agile methods to develop capabilities and requires occasional travel of 3-4 trips per year.

On any given day you may be called on to:

• Development new digital signal processing methods for communication or RADAR applications

• Develop DSP code in Matlab/GNU Radio/VHDL/Verilog for SDR applications

• Reverse Engineer Radio Communication Systems, associated Signals of Interest and Protocols

• RF system conceptualization and realization

• Research, develop, analyze and/or field test RF systems

• Interact with customers & stakeholders on system conceptualization and design.

Qualifications We Require:

• Bachelor’s in a relevant STEM discipline

• The ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

• The ability to acquire and maintain a SCI-level clearance, which may require a polygraph test.

Qualifications We Desire:

Ideally, we would like to see your background include some of the following:

• Master and/or PhD in a relevant or associated field

• Experience in software engineering and Digital Signal Processing in one of more of the following: GNU Radio, Matlab/Simulink, Python, C/C++, VHDL, or Verilog

• Experience with RF microwave and antenna/EM applications

• The ability to occasionally travel

• A familiarity with DoD and IC organizations and associated systems and operations

• A familiarity with general test and measurement equipment (oscilloscopes, DVM, logic analyzers) and RF test equipment (network analyzer, spectrum analyzer)

• The ability and desire to participate in field tests

• Knowledge of RF, Digital Communications, Electronic Warfare, and Cyber Security systems and principles

• An active DOE Q-level security clearance and an active SCI-level Clearance; or other equivalent active security clearance such as DOD Top Secret and SCI-level Clearance.

About Our Team:

The RF & Systems Electronics Center (Center 05300) provides key electronics systems work to a wide variety of nuclear weapons, space, intelligence, and military programs across Sandia and the Nation. The Advanced RF Systems group (05330) supports the Nation’s technology superiority strategies by delivering capabilities for RF & spectral dominance, global highly reliable communications, and novel advancements for future strength. We are a highly dynamic set of departments that cross-team to provide integrated engineering systems solutions ranging from core research through prototype development and high-end, fielded products.

The Advanced Systems department (05334) develops multi-domain novel electromagnetic attack & defense concepts and systems with an eye on low size, weight, and power constrained applications. Our customers include a variety of government organizations including the U.S Armed Forces, the Intelligence Community, and Special Operations. Our staff members have a diverse skills base including microwave circuit design, antenna design, signal analysis, digital signal processing, embedded software, and system designs comprised of the latest associated hardware. We partner across the laboratory and the group to bring on other critical skill sets to our multi-disciplinary team to include computer scientists, systems engineers, and cyber engineers. Our design challenges include system development (designing scalable systems, systems integration into host platforms, etc), understanding complex adversary systems and associated vulnerabilities, and signal analysis and generation of RF low probably of detect waveforms.

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 vacations, 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.

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 and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access 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 the 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.

Job ID: 689811