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Early Career R&D Support Technologist - Non-Destructive Environments and Diagnostics, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories

Albuquerque, NMFull-time$64–123K/yrSeen 2 days agoSeen in employer's feed 2 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$64–123K/yr
Location
Albuquerque, NM
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearance

Job overview

The R&D Laboratory Support Technologist will support science and engineering research, development, and application activities for Sandia National Laboratories’ missions. The role works with the Non-Destructive Environments and Diagnostics team on laboratory and field testing, using non-destructive evaluation methods and equipment. The selected candidate must work onsite and be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Non-Destructive TestingData Acquisition SystemsStructural DynamicsNon-Destructive EvaluationMATLABPythonComputer Hardware MaintenanceComputer Hardware Modification

Qualifications

Associate's in Applicable STEMFour Years Relevant Experience or Associate'sDOE Q-Level Security ClearanceUndergraduate Degree in Related STEM

Benefits

401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance
Relocation Assistance

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:

Are you looking to join a team that takes on tough challenges in national security? If so, we are looking for a highly motivated R&D Laboratory Support Technologist to join our Non-Destructive Environments and Diagnostics (1529) team. Our work is critical in developing and employing transformative non-destructive evaluation methods for national security applications. We are recognized leaders in the field, specializing in capabilities such as radiography, computed tomography, ultrasound, eddy current, dye penetrant, and shearography. Our group balances laboratory and field testing with state-of-the-art equipment to support our mission. In this role, you will support science and engineering research, development, and application activities in support of Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) missions.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

  • Collaborate with engineers to realize innovative ideas and designs, working together to accomplish project goals.

  • Assist in conducting a wide variety of experiments using different NDE techniques, such as Ultrasonic, Eddy Current, Magnetic Particle, Penetrant while gaining hands-on experience in field testing experiments.

  • Support experiments using non-destructive techniques including a wide variety of experiments using different radiography techniques, such as digital radiography and computed tomography, while gaining hands-on experience in high-speed field experiments.

  • Support the installation, operation, and maintenance of laboratory equipment including data acquisition systems, under the guidance of experienced team members.

  • Develop, build, modify, repair a wide variety of laboratory equipment; learn to troubleshoot malfunctions and implement corrective actions.

  • Install instrumentation and develop fixturing that supports test articles for non-destructive evaluation.

  • Read and interpret drawings, specifications, tolerances, and acceptance criteria (e.g., ASME, AWS, ASTM, customer requirements).

  • Assist with data analysis, organization, and interpretation of results.

  • Support documentation and publication efforts, including documenting results for customers and contributing to conference proceedings and peer-reviewed journal papers.

  • Conceive and implement new solutions and improvements to the group's technical and operational procedures.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range:

$63,800 - $123,400

*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:

  • Associate's degree in an applicable STEM discipline (four years of relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of a degree)

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

  • Undergraduate degree in a related STEM discipline

  • Experience with non-destructive testing methods such as radiography, ultrasound, or eddy current

  • Experience with data acquisition system setup, operation, and maintenance

  • Basic knowledge of structural dynamics and non-destructive evaluation techniques

  • Experience with computer coding such as MATLAB and/or Python, as well as computer hardware maintenance and modification

  • Commitment to operational safety, security, and quality

About Our Team:

The Non-Destructive Environments and Diagnostics (1529) department is an integral part of the Experimental Solid Mechanics and Structural Dynamics group (1520) at Sandia National Laboratories. Our mission is to develop and employ innovative non-destructive evaluation methods to support national security applications. We provide comprehensive support through design assistance, environment simulation, diagnostics, qualification activities, field testing, and engineering discovery. Our team collaborates closely with other departments and external entities to ensure accurate and reproducible data in mission-relevant mechanical environments. We maintain a robust R&D portfolio focused on advancing non-destructive testing methodologies and enhancing the qualification of systems critical to our nation¿s security.

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:

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, 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: 699482

Job Family: RD

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F

How this job compares

Set against the 1,378 open Research and Development jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 31, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$64–123K/yr
  • New Mexico median$118–236K/yr34 salary ranges
  • US median$118–173K/yr728 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $94K, is 47% below the New Mexico median midpoint ($177K) — in the lowest quarter of Research and Development salary ranges in New Mexico.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 40 open Research and Development jobs in New Mexico and 1,378 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in New Mexico
Experience
Research and Development postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 3 to 8 years (920 postings).
Education
756 of the 1,378 open Research and Development jobs (55%) 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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