Transportation Engineer (Engineer 1/2) at Los Alamos National Laboratory

What You Will Do

Build Your Career. Make a Real-World Impact.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a motivated early-career Transportation Engineer to join our Engineering Services (ES) Division in support of Utilities and Infrastructure (UI) Operations. This is a unique opportunity to work on a large, complex, and multimodal transportation system while building a strong foundation for your professional engineering career.

At LANL, your work directly supports thousands of employees and critical national security missions. You'll be part of a collaborative engineering team responsible for maintaining and improving a 42-square-mile transportation network, including roads, sidewalks, trails, parking lots, traffic control devices, and pavement markings. In this role you will gain hands-on experience across roadway, traffic, pedestrian, and parking infrastructure-far beyond what most early-career roles can offer.

This position will be filled at either the Engineer 1 or 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

Engineer 1 ($94,500 - $154,600)

• Contribute to roadway and traffic engineering projects from concept through construction
• Investigate traffic operations and safety concerns and help develop data-driven recommendations
• Participate in condition assessments of roads and transportation assets
• Assist in developing annual pavement and maintenance priorities
• Support preventive maintenance programs to extend infrastructure life
• Develop engineering drawings and designs (roadways, parking areas, striping, sidewalks, drainage, grading, and traffic control)
• Apply MUTCD, AASHTO, and state standards to real-world transportation challenges
• Review construction drawings, submittals, and inspection plans with mentorship from senior engineers
• Prepare cost estimates, quantities, and supporting documentation
  
  

This role provides broad exposure, mentorship, and progressive responsibility, making it ideal for engineers early in their careers.

Engineer 2 ($104,100 - $172,200)

In addition to the above, you will:

• Work more independently on transportation engineering tasks and decisions
• Collaborate confidently with project managers, contractors, and stakeholders
• Help identify innovative solutions and improvements to LANL engineering standards
  
  

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Strong foundation in transportation and civil engineering principles
• Familiarity with roadway and traffic standards (AASHTO, MUTCD, NMDOT)
• Experience or coursework using AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and/or GIS
• Interest in roadway design, traffic operations, and infrastructure maintenance
• Ability to communicate clearly, learn quickly, and work well in a team environment
  
  

Education/Experience at Engineer 1: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university and 2 years of practical work experience. Current registration as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) is highly desirable.

Education/Experience at Engineer 2: Position requires a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university and a minimum of 3 years practical work experience to the degree necessary to perform the responsibilities outlined above. Current registration as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) is highly desirable.

Desired Qualifications:

• Exposure to municipal or campus transportation systems
• Experience with traffic or pavement software (MicroPaver, Synchro, Vissim, etc.)
• Interest in project management, budgeting, or asset management
• Desire to pursue professional licensure (PE)
• Certifications such as IMSA or ATSSA
  
  

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

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: Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China - including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau - as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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 (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 P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

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 applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-664-6947 option 2.