Hardware Assurance Engineer (Solutions Architect 4)

What You Will Do

Are you looking for a career that is intellectually challenging and imbued with purpose? If the answer is "yes" we encourage you to learn more about our opening for a Solutions Architect in the Weapons Research Services-Secure Networks and Applications (WRS-SNA) Group. We are looking for a hardware and firmware lead in the Nuclear Weapons Cyber Assurance Laboratory (NWCAL). The NWCAL hardware lead will have broad expertise or unique knowledge, use skills to contribute to development of objectives and principles and to achieve goals in creative and effective ways. You will develop advanced concepts, techniques, and standards based on professional principles and theories and is viewed as expert in the field within the Laboratory. The hardware lead works on unusually significant, unique, or complex programmatic issues, provides solutions that are highly creative and where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangibles. You will have impact on success of future concepts, products, or technologies. The hardware lead will work under consultative direction toward predetermined long-range targets, assignments are often self-initiated and virtually self-supervisory. Independent judgment for determining course of action to accomplish objectives and the use of wide latitude in the methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results will be expected. You will collaborate with academia, NNSA, NSA and other labs and plants in scientific research endeavors.

After initial onboarding and training, the successful candidate will use their expertise to accomplish the following job activities:

• Research, analyze, develop, implement, and test hardware and firmware assurance solutions, tools, and techniques that leverage NWCAL resources and partnerships to carry out the weapons mission at LANL.

• Evaluate and implement scalable processes and the application of technology to move toward an institutional hardware and firmware assurance capability.

• Work as part of a larger team and integrate new areas of focus into current processes and procedures providing technology assurance services to the LANL Weapons program.

• Work closely with external DoD and NNSA partners to establish resource a new capability within WRS.

• Collaborate with project leadership and team leadership to propose and lead in the effort to grow an institutional hardware/firmware assurance capability and talent pipeline.

• Work independently on projects that require hardware and firmware reverse engineering experience which would require close collaboration with other subject matter experts in this area.

• Help NWCAL leadership establish the technical direction and roadmap to meet strategic long-term program goals.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

Technical Knowledge

Demonstrated experience with embedded system design, troubleshooting and with reverse engineering of hardware, firmware, or software.

Demonstrated experience debugging and troubleshooting analog and digital circuits, complex electronic systems familiarity and demonstrated experience with electronic and electro-mechanical system design, fabrication, and/or testing.

Fluency in at least one programming language, e.g. C, Python, etc. Proven experience with digital communication systems and/or other digital signal processing.

Advanced knowledge and demonstrated application of current and future network, telecommunications, data management, security, hardware, software development, and systems programming technologies, how they inter-operate, and how to design and develop complex solutions.

Leadership

Demonstrated leadership and experience in identifying, promoting, and developing appropriate new technical capabilities across large organizations, including influencing and establishing strategies to ensure alignment of new program to priorities and mission.

Demonstrated experience working independently with minimum supervision, as well as effectively as part of a team in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Demonstrated ability to effectively plan and complete assignments on schedule; to identify, address, and resolve technical problems; and to use a systematic approach in solving problems.

Advanced experience mentoring students, post-docs, and junior career staff in both technical and career directions.

Communication

Comprehensive technical writing skills and overall strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills including interacting effectively with all levels of management, staff, and customers.

Possess a high ability to expand and evolve the group's core competencies, provide technical guidance for the group, and the Laboratory and to gain insight and pursue future initiatives in support of the group's core competencies. Demonstrated ability to actively participate in professional activities at a national level.

Education/Experience: This position requires a Bachelor's Degree in a STEM field and 15 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level, postgraduate coursework may be expected.

Desired Qualifications:

Demonstrated design experience in the following

• Synchronous design, synthesis, routing, simulation, testing, and/or technical documentation of FPGA-based circuits

• Experience in the assessment of operational technology (OT) cyber security posture and vulnerability mitigation

• Experience in designing cyber security solutions on advanced and complex industrial control systems (ICS)

• Experience with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and architectures

• Signal conditioning

• Demonstrated experience with advanced design & analysis tools, such as schematic capture tools, analog/digital/EM simulation tools, CAD, and/or data analysis tools such as MATLAB

• Understanding of the Weapons Program and US National Security Enterprise (NSE)

• Willingness to expand into new fields, be mentored and coached, and to pick up new information quickly and independently.

• Advanced degree or significant relevant technical experience is preferred.

Work Environment:

Work Location: The work location for this position is hybrid and is located in Los Alamos. Hybrid is defined as working partially onsite/partially offsite but within 2 hours ground commute of this location. All work locations are at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.

Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Note to Applicants:

For full consideration, applicants must submit a comprehensive cover letter that addresses the key requirements of the position. Position will require occasional domestic travel.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network

§ Dental and vision insurance

§ Free basic life and disability insurance

§ Paid childbirth and parental leave

§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)

§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance

§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)

§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs

§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 (~~~) . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance: Q/SCI (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 (~~~) for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 (~~~) for applicant eligibility requirements.

Incentive Compensation Program: Position is eligible to participate in the Triad Incentive Compensation Program. You must be in an eligible position for a minimum of 3 months, before July 1st and remain in an eligible position as of the end of the fiscal year, September 30th. The annual distribution is prorated based on the number of months in the eligible position.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to ~~~ or call ~~~ option 1.