Senior/Principal R&D Microwave & Sensor Engineer - Radar ISR Mission, 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:

Are you passionate about your work and dream of utilizing state-of-the-art facilities to explore solutions? Do you want to join a diverse team that solves challenging issues of national interest? We are seeking an experienced R&D S&E, Microwave & Sensor Engineer to join our dynamic team.

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

• Analyze, design, and develop radar systems, subsystems, and modules
• Develop Concepts of Operation
• System-level design and integration
• Develop test and qualification plans
• Develop models for computational analysis of systems and processes
• Lead or support formal program reviews
• Negotiate technical and programmatic requirements with customers
• Deliver hardware within schedule and budgetary constraints
• Shape, guide or lead research activities to support program needs
• Develop technical documentation
• Troubleshoot problems and support anomaly resolution activities
• Serve as a technical interface to other design and support organizations

Due to the nature of work, successful candidate must be able to work onsite. This position will require occasional travel.

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:

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

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal R&D Microwave & Sensor Engineer candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Electrical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Laboratory skills and knowledge of RF and digital test equipment.
• Knowledge of RF, Digital Communications, Electronic Warfare, and Cyber Security systems and principles.
• Ability to work successfully in a dynamic, interdisciplinary, teaming environment.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Strong foundation in radar fundamentals and digital signal processing (DSP).
• Demonstrated experience with one or more of the following:
• radar system hardware
• radar software
• system modeling/analysis
• RF scattering phenomenology
• Programming experience in MATLAB and/or similar numerical computing environments; proficiency in one or more general-purpose languages (e.g., C/C++, Python, Rust, Java, Fortran).
• Experience using RF/microwave test equipment and measurement techniques (e.g., VNA/network analysis, spectrum analysis, noise figure/noise characterization, power measurements).
• Key Technical Areas (experience in one or more):
• PGA/firmware development (VHDL/Verilog); hardware realization of DSP algorithms; high-speed chip-to-chip interfaces.
• Edge/embedded software development (C/C++/Rust); acceleration using GPU/TPU; CUDA or similar frameworks.
• Antenna design and analysis.
• Electronic board design (schematic/layout, bring-up, debug).
• Experience in preparing, publishing and presenting technical information including patents

About Our Team:

The Radar ISR Mission Engineering Department (5349) develops and fields high-performance radar systems and associated technologies supporting Nuclear Weapons (NW), National Security Programs (NSP), homeland security, interagency partners, and internal R&D. We specialize in end-to-end (tip-to-tail) radar system development, spanning electromagnetic design, radar/antenna development, electronics, firmware and software, modeling and simulation, systems engineering, integration, and test to deliver mission-ready capabilities for niche national needs, including environments involving countermeasures and system resiliency.

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: 697404

Job Family: RD

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F

Client-provided location(s): Albuquerque, NM

Job ID: Departmend_Of_Energy_-_Sandia_National_Laboratories_FGB-697404

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2026-04-03T18:40:13