Cleared Senior/ Principal Quality Engineer, Hypersonic - Onsite

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:

We are seeking an experienced Quality Engineer to support programs and work within a team of other Quality Engineers to support hypersonic weapon programs and mature the Mission Assurance System (MAS) in Center 05400, Integrated Military Systems (IMS). IMS 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.

As a Quality Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in the project development phase, collaborating closely with project managers, engineers, configuration managers, and system engineers to ensure effective project planning and execution. Your responsibilities will encompass a wide range of activities aimed at maintaining and enhancing the quality of products, processes, and systems in alignment with organizational standards and customer requirements.

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
• Lead Quality teams and coordinate support for assigned projects
• Perform internal audits against program requirements, corporate and center policy
• Manage and adjudicate program nonconformances, lead quality assurance causal, lesson learned and risk analysis
• Apply 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
• Successfully enable the transfer of processes, products, and quality documents to industry partners
• Conduct validation and verification activities to ensure that the processes and products meet the customers requirements
• 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 role, this candidate must be able to work onsite. Must have the ability to occasionally travel.

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 relevant discipline, or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Plus, five years of directly related experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of the job. Equivalent experience in lieu of degree must be directly related experience 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
• Experience with ISO9001 and or AS9100
• Active DOE Q-level security clearance; or other equivalent active security clearance such as DOD Top Secret

Qualifications We Desire:

• Knowledge of a wide range of flight systems operating from subsonic through hypersonic flight regimes
• A familiarity of Sandia process and practices
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop, author, and maintain policies, plans, and procedures
• Prior experience working in a fast-paced production environment.
• Experience with product realization processes and process development.
• Demonstrated ability to team with others to produce successful outcomes.
• Green Belt certification training.

About Our Team:

Organization 05494, Mission Assurance, provides configuration management, information management and Quality support to programs within 05400 Integrated Military Systems. 5400 coordinates the development of Mechanical, Electrical, and Avionics flight technologies to be integrated and tested with industry partner support to provide flight solutions for missiles and hypersonic flight platforms. Typically, these systems support the DOD including MDA, Army, Navy, Air Force, and other Agencies. 5400 has successfully developed hypersonic systems for the nation and is extending our role on the national stage for both developmental and fieldable systems.

Our programs cover a broad spectrum of applications; from advanced aerodynamically controlled vehicles, maneuvering hypersonic kill vehicles, and ballistic missile systems. All the activities require the extensive use of commonly developed Sandia avionics as well as prototype next generation technology that has never been flown. Levering existing technologies and maturing the Hypersonic portfolio for national needs is a demanding task and is a key component of Exceptional Service in the National Interest.

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.

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: 696830

Job Family: QU

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F

Client-provided location(s): Albuquerque, NM

Job ID: Departmend_Of_Energy_-_Sandia_National_Laboratories_FGB-696830

Employment Type: PART_TIME

Posted: 2026-01-31T18:40:26