Software Systems Engineer - High Consequence Systems, Onsite

About Sandia

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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

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We are seeking a highly motivated Software Systems Engineer to serve as a developer and architect for a multidisciplinary team delivering high-impact national security systems. You will investigate, gather requirements, design, develop, test, document, and analyze software systems and applications that integrate IT knowledge with modern tools and best practices.

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

• Develop systems for high-consequence decision-making systems using Python, Bash, Ansible, and other automation tools.
• Collaborate via Git and GitLab, practicing feature-branch workflows, pull-requests, commit-deconfliction, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Deploy solutions in Linux (RHEL & Ubuntu) environments using containers (Docker, Kubernetes), schedulers (cron, systemd, SLURM), and cloud/container registries.
• Recognize where and when to use compiled binaries vs. interpreted scripts and software vs. hardware acceleration for performance tuning.
• Ensure operational excellence by following relevant security standards, applying timely patches, and hardening systems.
• Continuously learn new technologies, upgrade existing software/hardware stacks, and mentor teammates.

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

Salary Range

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$87,400 - $168,800

• 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

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• Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a relevant computing field.
• 3+ years of experience with software engineering and computer science on high-consequence information systems.
• Experience with programming languages and systems such as Ansible, Python, Bash, Linux, and containers.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.

Qualifications

We Desire

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• Master's degree in CS, Software Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Linux expertise: OS internals, shell environments (vim, bash, etc.), and system administration
• Configuration management and automation experience. (Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Salt)
• Containerization and orchestration experience: authoring Dockerfiles, Docker Compose scripting, publishing to Nexus/Harbor/GitLab registries. Exposure to Kubernetes or similar is beneficial.
• CI/CD and scheduling experience which may include cron/systemd timers, SLURM or Kubernetes job workflows, bash-based pipelines, and/or GitLab runners.
• Basic understanding of networking fundamentals: TCP vs. UDP, ports and firewalls, DHCP, DNS, and secure tunneling (SSH)
• Matrix operations in code (expression vs. BLAS/GPU acceleration trade-offs)
• Compiled binaries vs. interpreted scripts and when to choose each
• General file & filesystem literacy: file formats, headers, raid configurations, and types of filesystems
• Compute resource trade-offs: memory vs. storage, CPU vs. GPU strengths
• Strong written and verbal communication, customer focus, and collaborative attitude
• Knowledge of project management processes, i.e., Kanban, SCRUM, Agile framework.
• Version control mastery: Git concepts (commits, merges, rebases, remotes, conflict resolution)
• Rudimentary knowledge of the IP stack.
• Experience with using containers and virtualization to isolate untrusted software (virtual networking, basic routing concepts, and network isolation).
• Hands-on experience deploying a website, server, or application is a plus!
• Exposure to Computer Vision algorithms, Deep Learning/Machine Learning, or AI harness/framework development is greatly advantageous.
• Active DOE Q clearance.

About Our Team

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The Computational Systems Engineering Department is a capability based organization that architects, develops, integrates, tests, and deploys large highly reliable mission critical systems using agile methodologies.

We have expertise in R&D and Information Technology across many disciplines including large-scale software engineering, computer science, and computer engineering.

Our specific capabilities include platform/cloud automation, computer hardware/software architectures, system administration, networking, cyber security, failover/redundancy, continuous integration, system integration/verification, and performance assessment.

We leverage these capabilities to innovate high-rigor solutions while supporting existing critical customer needs.

Our current responsibility includes support for nonproliferation and national security missions for the US Nuclear Detonation Detection System.

Posting Duration

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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

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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

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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

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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.