
Senior/Principal R&D S&E, Systems Engineer,Onsite
Albuquerque, NMFull-time$118–236K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed 4 days ago
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At a glance
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Job overview
Sandia National Laboratories seeks an experienced Systems Engineer for its ND Future Systems team, supporting studies and programs from early system studies to rapid flight demonstrations and technology maturation. The role leads system design or qualification efforts, develops system requirements and CONOPs, and works with partners, vehicle designers, and government stakeholders. The selected applicant is required to work onsite and must hold an active DOE Q clearance or equivalent.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
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:
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Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
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Extraordinary co-workers
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Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
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Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
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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)
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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:
Are you looking for a systems engineering role that is fast-paced and creative? If so, you may be a great fit for our team! We are looking for an experienced Systems Engineer to join our ND Future Systems team. Our team supports a broad range of studies and programs, spanning from pre-phase 1 and phase 1 system studies to rapid flight demonstrations to Advanced and Exploratory (A&E) technology maturation.
On any given day you may be called on to:
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Lead a team performing system design or qualification
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Interface with National Security Enterprise (NSE) partners
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Support system studies and phase 1 studies that explore future ND system design concepts
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Partner with vehicle designers to integrate system architectures into flight vehicles
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Develop and refine system requirements and CONOPs
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Brief Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of War (DOW) customers and stakeholders
Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant will be required to work onsite
Salary Range:
$117,500 - $235,700
*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:
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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.
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Active DOE Q clearance or equivalent and ability to obtain and maintain Sigma 15
Qualifications We Desire:
The ideal R&D S&E System Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:
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Graduate degree in Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
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Experience working with Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE) laboratories and plants including Pantex, Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC), Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLNL) and Kansas City National Security Campus/New Mexico Operations (KCNSC/NMO).
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Experience working on engineering design, qualification, production, or related modeling/simulation projects.
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Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams
Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:
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Experience leading a team through significant development, qualification, or sustainment effort
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Experience with the ND 6.x process
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Experience with the Department of War 5000 acquisition process
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Experience working agile or rapid development programs
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Experience leading technical teams through dynamic environments
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Demonstrated history of briefing DOE and/or DOW stakeholders
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Experience working on SPP programs
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Demonstrated history of mentorship
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Ability to obtain and maintain SCI clearance, which may include a polygraph examination.
About Our Team:
Organization 237 provides diverse engineering expertise to support ND future systems and Advanced and Exploratory (A&E) projects and programs. We partner across the Laboratories to develop and deliver future system designs and concepts that address emerging national security needs.
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:
Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia 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 for employment need to be able to 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: 699402
Job Family: RD
Regular/Temporary Position: R
Full/Part-Time Status: F
How this job compares
Set against the 10,774 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 28, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$118–236K/yr
- New Mexico median$102–185K/yr84 salary ranges
- US median$115–188K/yr7,946 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $177K, is 20% above the New Mexico median midpoint ($147K) — in the top quarter of Systems Engineer salary ranges in New Mexico.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 109 open Systems Engineer jobs in New Mexico and 10,774 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in New Mexico
- Sandia National Laboratories (this employer)22 open
- Serco16 open
- Oracle10 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (8,934 postings).
- Education
- 4,717 of the 10,774 open Systems Engineer jobs (44%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 28, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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