Member/Senior RD Computer Scientist – Radar ISR Real Time Processing, Onsite

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.

Do you want to join a dynamic team that serves an organization that supports our national security? Do you want to support Sandia’s national security missions?

We are looking for an exceptional Computer Science Engineer to join our Team! You will apply integrated technical judgment, which requires using the scientific method to recognize and formulate problems, to collect data through observation and experimentation, and to formulate and test hypotheses to anticipate, innovate, and deliver solutions to Sandia National Laboratories missions.

You will participate in the development and Application of computational capabilities to tackle problems in science and engineering. You will be applying methods and techniques that merge disciplines in science and engineering with computer science. Duties include but not limited to the research, development, deployment and in-depth technical support of general scientific and engineering application software and related tools.

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

• Plan, conceive, conduct, or lead research and development for Sandia’s customers and sponsors.
• Direct systematic study toward a fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts and discover new approaches to achieve goals.
• Create new understandings and capabilities by using the Scientific Method’s hypothesis, test, and evaluation techniques; critical review; or similar engineering research and development methods.
• Initiate, design, develop, execute, and evaluate new processes, products, or systems through basic and applied research.

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

$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.

• A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, 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 and an SCI level security clearance which may require a polygraph

The ideal R&D S&E Computer Science candidate will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Computer Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Demonstrated software development skills and familiarity with modern software development practices and tools (e.g., Agile).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams, and a passion to improve and expand technical skills.

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

• Your background includes experience with software development lifecycle activities (such as specification, development, integration and test)
• Your skillset includes experience with object-oriented design using languages such as C++, Java, or Python
• Experience with multi-paradigm languages; specifically Rust and MatLab.
• You have knowledge and experience with object-oriented design and the Unified Modeling Language (UML);
• Experience with Data Distribution Services (DDS), e.g. RTI Context DDS, OpenDDS
• Your background includes experience developing software for real-time Linux or real-time operating systems such as VxWorks;
• Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative software development environment (team development processes and tools, shared code, peer review);
• Experience with VxWorks system installation and administration, kernel customization, configuration and troubleshooting;
• Experience with formal software testing and verification strategies;
• Experience with networked communications programming;
• Experience in working with teams of engineers with diverse backgrounds and skillsets;
• Knowledge and experience with scripting languages such as bash and python;
• Knowledge of digital signal processing techniques;
• Understanding of radar fundamentals or other sensor technologies;
• Exposure to, or understanding of, AI assisted development, AI development tools, or agentic programming.
• Knowledge of or experience with AI/ML technologies and their application.
• Active DOE Q/DoW Top Secret clearance and an SCI clearance, or the ability to get and maintain an SCI clearance.

Sandia National Laboratories offers state-of-the-art capability in the design and development of Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems, from system design through system integration to data collection and analysis. As a multidisciplinary laboratory, Sandia applies world-class expertise, such as high performance computer processing, semiconductor device physics, mechanical stress analysis, flight dynamics, motion measurement, etc., to the difficult problems Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) systems may present.

Department 5348, ISR Real-Time Processing, develops and delivers highly advanced digital hardware and software solutions to meet the demands of embedded processing for advanced radar (SAR/GMTI) and other advanced RF system development activities. Software development capabilities include: object-oriented analysis and design, operating system development, configuration and setup, quality attribute driven design, model-driven development, component-based development in support of a software product line, automated testing, low-level driver software for COTS and custom hardware, real-time embedded software, concurrent software for multi-core processors and GPUs, and GUI software. Digital design capabilities and duties include: advanced digital signal processing (analysis, simulation and implementation), high speed ASIC and FPGA design, use of common digital interface architectures with embedded processors, high-speed PCB design (digital and mixed-signal), and VHDL design, simulation, implementation and test.

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nations 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 schedules, generous vacations, 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.

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.

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 and SCI access, both of which require US citizenship. SCI access may also require a polygraph examination. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain these levels of access 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 the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

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.

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.