Mechanical Engineer Level 4/5

Idaho National Laboratory • Idaho Falls, ID

11h • $114,360 - $281,196 • Onsite

About The Position

Idaho National Laboratory seeks a Mechanical Engineer to shape the future of energy and national innovation by designing and testing cutting-edge systems that push the boundaries of possibility through integration of transformative technologies. The role involves participating in the design, development, testing, and verification of complex electrical, mechanical, and/or software systems and components using a rigorous systems engineering approach. Responsibilities include analyzing engineering plans and projects to establish operational objectives, high-level functions, and detailed requirement decomposition. The engineer will assist in analyzing proposals and technical data to evaluate design alternatives using a systems engineering approach, and utilize digital engineering tools such as requirements management, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), and AI-assisted design review platforms. The position also involves identifying opportunities for technology integration to advance technical capabilities and develop new solutions. The engineer will serve as a technical authority and cross-project resource for requirements management, configuration control, and systems documentation, interfacing with other organizations to communicate design requirements and address issues. Work may encompass a wide range of sophisticated engineering problem resolutions across multiple concurrent reactor/facility projects. This position is located at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC), a key U.S. nuclear research and development facility designed for remote work on highly irradiated fuels and materials. The team works a 4x10 schedule with every Friday off.

Requirements

• Level 4: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, or other related technical discipline plus 9 years relevant experience, or Advanced Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or other related degree with 6+ years relevant experience or a closely related field from a program accredited by ABET.
• Level 5: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, or other related technical discipline plus 14 years relevant experience, or Advanced Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or other related degree with 8+ years relevant experience or a closely related field from a program accredited by ABET.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy "Q" clearance, which requires US Citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Apply Systems Engineering principles and techniques to support and carry out the engineering design process, including requirements development, decomposition, verification, and traceability across the full project/system lifecycle.
• Develop, implement, and integrate systems engineering principles throughout the project/system lifecycle, including systems and organizational integration, road mapping, and testing.
• Use digital engineering tools — including requirements management platforms (e.g., DOORS), product lifecycle management (PLM) tools (e.g., PTC Windchill), and collaborative review platforms (e.g., CoLab) — to implement systems engineering on all assigned projects.
• Create, revise, and manage configuration baselines for System Design Descriptions (SDDs), Functional and Operational Requirements (F&OR), Concepts of Operations (ConOps), and Code of Record (COR) documents, ensuring numbering, callouts, figures, tables, cross-references are correct and complete.
• Reconcile discrepancies between requirements management databases (e.g., DOORS), document control systems (e.g., EDMS), and source documents; maintain synchronization and traceability across artifacts.
• Develop and apply custom macros, scripts, and database tools (e.g., Access-based requirements databases) to automate document generation, formatting, difference reporting, and requirements management tasks.
• Support the development of risk analysis and reliability models using tools and methods such as RAAML and MBSE/SysML; identify and integrate relevant data sources (e.g., equipment records, incident reports) into risk assessments.
• Develop and apply AI-assisted digital engineering workflows (e.g., using Microsoft 365 Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT) to perform completeness checks, automated design reviews, and comparison of requirements against design output binders; evaluate and recommend AI tools for design review processes.
• Support the development of concepts of operations to identify high-level functions and detailed requirements for a wide range of projects.
• Develop and implement appropriate graded systems engineering approaches and processes to meet program and customer needs.
• Draft, edit, and maintain technical specifications, requirements documents, and safety-basis documentation (e.g., PDSA/DSA inputs), ensuring alignment with DOE Orders, NE Standards, ANS standards, and other applicable codes and regulations.
• Create and interpret system architecture artifacts, including interface definitions, digital thread documentation, and 3D models (e.g., Creo or Revit) to communicate system design and boundaries.
• Author or co-author engineering specifications and serve as document owner responsible for change requests, comment resolution, and release readiness.
• Develop control system concepts, instrumentation and P&ID diagrams, and related technical design artifacts in support of system design efforts.
• Create and administer technical document reviews (e.g., via CoLab), coordinate reviewer input, and drive resolution of review comments across multidisciplinary stakeholder groups.
• Identify the full range of viable systems and decision-making alternatives to address engineering challenges and problems.
• Develop systems models and decision-making tools to help customers make informed, efficient, effective, and defensible decisions relative to the problem or challenge being addressed.
• Support and mentor colleagues in technical writing and professional development.
• Ensure that all activities are conducted in compliance with DOE orders and Federal, State, and Local regulations.
• Coordinate and provide technical guidance across multiple engineering disciplines, including instrumentation & controls, networking, mechanical, safety engineering, and document control.
• Mentor junior level staff, including guidance on tool usage, documentation practices, and systems engineering methodology.
• Other duties as assigned by the department manager or lead engineer.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401(k) with a 4.2% employer contribution and up to 4.8% match (regular positions)
• Paid time off (personal leave)
• Employee Education Program (tuition assistance for eligible positions)
• Comprehensive Relocation Package

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level