Mechanical Engineer Level 3/4

Idaho National Laboratory•Idaho Falls, ID

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Idaho National Laboratory is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to design and test systems that support energy research and national innovation. The engineer will participate in the design, development, testing, and verification of complex electrical, mechanical, and/or software systems and components using a rigorous systems engineering approach. Work includes analyzing engineering plans and projects, establishing operational objectives and functions, decomposing requirements, evaluating design alternatives, and identifying opportunities to integrate technologies and techniques. Projects may involve sophisticated cross-discipline engineering challenges and support for multiple concurrent reactor and facility projects. The position is located at the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC), a collection of facilities supporting U.S. nuclear research and development, including remote work with highly irradiated fuels and materials. MFC enables fuel concepts to be designed, fabricated, tested, and analyzed. The role uses digital engineering tools, including requirements management, model-based systems engineering, and AI-assisted design-review platforms. The team works a 4x10 schedule, with Fridays off. The engineer will develop and maintain systems engineering artifacts, requirements, specifications, system models, architecture documentation, and technical design materials throughout project and system lifecycles. The position also involves coordinating across engineering disciplines, providing technical guidance, and mentoring colleagues. Work must comply with DOE orders and applicable Federal, State, and Local regulations. The position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy L clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. It is a testing-designated position subject to pre-employment and periodic drug testing. This is a multi-level posting; placement at Level 3 or Level 4 depends on the depth and breadth of demonstrated experience and skills.

Requirements

Level 3: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or another related technical discipline and 5 years of relevant experience; or an advanced degree in mechanical engineering or another related degree and 2 years of relevant experience. The degree must be from a program accredited by ABET or in a closely related field, as stated in the posting.
Level 4: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or another related technical discipline and 9 years of relevant experience; or an advanced degree in mechanical engineering or another related degree and 6 or more years of relevant experience. The degree must be from a program accredited by ABET or in a closely related field, as stated in the posting.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy L clearance; U.S. citizenship is required for the clearance.
Ability to submit to a pre-employment drug screen and periodic drug testing throughout employment.
Ability to perform the essential physical functions of the position, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to CAD modeling software such as SolidWorks or CREO, with the ability to apply it in a design environment.
Foundational understanding of mechanical system design, machine design, robotics, and related control systems developed through applied university projects and early career experiences.
Familiarity with fabrication, construction, and assembly processes and how they connect to engineering design requirements.
Ability to perform engineering calculations and use analytical thinking to evaluate mechanical systems and design specifications.
Experience contributing to engineering projects across multiple phases, such as design, analysis, fabrication, or testing, through academic or early-career opportunities.

Responsibilities

Apply systems engineering principles and techniques to engineering design, including requirements development, decomposition, verification, and traceability across the project/system lifecycle.
Develop, implement, and integrate systems engineering principles throughout project and system lifecycles, including systems and organizational integration, road mapping, and testing.
Use digital engineering tools, such as Asset Suites, to implement systems engineering on 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.
Reconcile discrepancies among requirements management databases, document control systems such as EDMS, and source documents; maintain synchronization and traceability across artifacts.
Develop and apply custom macros, scripts, and database tools to automate document generation, formatting, difference reporting, and requirements management tasks.
Develop and apply AI-assisted digital engineering workflows for completeness checks, automated design reviews, and comparison of requirements against design output binders; evaluate and recommend AI tools for design review.
Support development of concepts of operations that identify high-level functions and detailed project requirements.
Develop and implement graded systems engineering approaches and processes to meet program and customer needs.
Draft, edit, and maintain technical specifications, requirements documents, and safety-basis documentation, including PDSA/DSA inputs, in alignment with applicable orders, standards, codes, and regulations.
Create and interpret system architecture artifacts, including interface definitions, digital thread documentation, and 3D models, to communicate system design and boundaries.
Author or co-author engineering specifications and serve as document owner for change requests, comment resolution, and release readiness.
Develop control system concepts, instrumentation and P&ID diagrams, and related technical design artifacts.
Identify viable systems and decision-making alternatives for engineering challenges and problems.
Develop systems models and decision-making tools to help customers make informed, efficient, effective, and defensible decisions.
Support and mentor colleagues in technical writing and professional development.
Ensure activities comply with DOE orders and Federal, State, and Local regulations.
Coordinate and provide technical guidance across instrumentation and controls, networking, mechanical, safety engineering, and document control disciplines.
Mentor junior staff on tool usage, documentation practices, and systems engineering methodology.
Perform other duties as assigned by the department manager or lead engineer.