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Cleared Senior/Principal Quality Engineer Hypersonics, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories

Albuquerque, NMFull-time$102–200K/yrSeen 1 day agoSeen in employer's feed 1 day ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$102–200K/yr
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

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Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Secret clearance

Job overview

Sandia National Laboratories seeks a Quality Engineer to support its Hypersonic and Counter UAS programs within Integrated Military Systems. The role assists project managers and engineers during development and supports quality control during receiving and assembly. The selected candidate works onsite, applying quality engineering methods and standards to support program deliverables, audits, risk analysis, and continuous improvement.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Quality Management SystemsQuality EngineeringISO 9001AS9100Flight SystemsRisk Management ToolsTeamworkStatistical Process ControlPlan-Do-Check-ActLean Six SigmaCausal AnalysisDefect Prevention

Qualifications

Bachelor's in STEM or Related5 Years Relevant ExperienceEquivalent Experience or AchievementsActive DOE L-Level or Equivalent ClearanceAbility to Obtain DOE Q ClearanceGreen Belt Certification TrainingU.S. Citizenship

Benefits

401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance
Relocation Assistance
Medical Insurance
Paid Time Off

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:

  • 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:

Organization 05492, Digital and Quality Engineering, is currently seeking a Quality Engineer to support programs and work within a team of other Quality Engineers to support 5400 Integrated Military Systems (IMS) Hypersonic and Counter UAS Programs. 5400 stewards and develops core technologies for advanced flight systems, aerospace precision navigation, guidance and control, target recognition and defeat, directed energy and military systems analysis.

The selected candidate will assist project managers, engineers, and system engineers during the project development phase. During receiving and assembly, the quality engineers are responsible for controlling the quality of the activity and confirming that everything has been completed to specification and in the proper order.

On any given day, one may be called upon to:

  • Support the projects in Center 5400 with execution of its deliverables within the Mission Assurance System (MAS) framework, ISO 9001/AS9100, and customer requirements

  • Support Quality teams (Quality Operations, Configuration Management, Document Management personnel) and coordinate support for assigned projects

  • Assist with internal audits against program requirements and corporate and center policy

  • Help manage and adjudicate program nonconformances, lead quality assurance causal, lesson learned and risk analysis

  • Apply quality engineering methods, tools, and techniques and technical judgment to design, maintain, and improve processes to ensure the delivery of high-quality product

  • Use formal quality and analysis tools, such as statistical process control, Plan-Do-Check-Act, Lean Six Sigma, Casual Analysis Techniques, Defect Prevention to reduce operational, management, production risks, and prevent recurrence of problems

  • Define, document, and communicate quality standards reflecting best practices and organizational objectives

  • Develop and maintain documentation, including policies and procedures, to support quality initiatives across programs

  • Ensure compliance with quality standards and regulations, fostering consistency across projects

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant will be required to work onsite.

Salary Range:

$102,400 - $199,700

*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:

  • Bachelor's degree in STEM, Quality Engineering, or a related field plus 5 years of relevant experience or equivalent experience and/or achievements that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of the job

  • Experience with Quality Management Systems, processes, and tools in an R&D or production environment

  • Familiarity with ISO9001 and or AS9100

  • An active DOE L-level security clearance; or other equivalent active security clearance such as DOW Secret and ability to obtain and maintain DOE Q Clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

  • Knowledge of a wide range of flight systems operating from subsonic through hypersonic flight regimes

  • Familiarity of Sandia process and practices

  • Demonstrated ability to team with others to produce successful outcomes

  • Green Belt certification training

  • Experience with Risk Management Tools (REMS)

About Our Team:

Organization 05492 Digital and Quality Engineering support to customers within 05400 Hypersonic programs. We are a team based in solid technical quality skills and the ability to solve complex problems to meet mission success.

Our programs cover a broad spectrum of projects; from advanced aerodynamically controlled vehicles, maneuvering hypersonic vehicles, and ballistic missile systems. All the activities require support for prototype development and implementation of next generation technology. Leveraging new and existing technologies and maturing the Hypersonic portfolio for national needs. This position is an opportunity to provide Exceptional Service in the National Interest.

Core Competencies:

Integrated Digital Solutions:

  • Expertise in leveraging digital engineering tools and methodologies to enhance design processes, improve quality assurance practices, and ensure mission readiness through innovative solutions that align with organizational goals.

Comprehensive Quality Assurance:

  • Proficiency in developing and implementing quality management systems, conducting thorough evaluations and audits, and ensuring compliance with industry standards to maintain high-quality outputs and mission-critical performance.

  • Mission Assurance and Risk Management:

  • Specialization in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks associated with mission objectives, ensuring that all engineering and quality processes are aligned with strategic goals, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement to support successful mission outcomes.

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) L security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD).

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 maintain a DOE L-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: 699322

Job Family: QU

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F

How this job compares

Set against the 3,034 open Quality Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 31, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$102–200K/yr
  • US median$90–149K/yr1,925 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $151K, is 26% above the US median midpoint ($120K) — in the top quarter of Quality Engineer salary ranges across the US.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 22 open Quality Engineer jobs in New Mexico and 3,034 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in New Mexico
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience; Quality Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years at the median (2,474 postings).
Education
1,722 of the 3,034 open Quality Engineer jobs (57%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 31, 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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