Early Career R&D Electronics Engineer

About Sandia

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

We are seeking a highly motivated Digital IC Design Engineer to join a collaborative team delivering advanced ASIC solutions for mission and laboratory customers. This role focuses on translating system needs into robust, verifiable RTL through tapeout, with close coordination across analog/MEMS/photonics and physical-design partners.

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

• Review project schedules and milestones (tapeout targets, design reviews, lab deliverables) with the PI/tech lead, identify blockers (PDK/tool updates, interface questions, verification gaps), and drive closure
• Convert customer/mission needs into clear block-level specifications (performance, power, area, radiation tolerance, interfaces, testability) and maintain requirements-to-design traceability
• Develop and maintain RTL (control, datapath/DSP, interfaces), integrate IP, and implement clean CDC/reset strategies and appropriate low-power/clocking techniques.
• Build and extend verification environments; run regressions; analyze failures; close coverage; and perform lint, CDC, and formal checks with documented evidence for reviews
• Run or coordinate synthesis and implementation handoff; review timing/power reports; debug critical paths; and iterate with physical design to meet constraints
• Collaborate closely with analog/MEMS/photonics teams on mixed-signal interfaces (ADC/DAC timing, bias/control, sensor protocols) and validate behavior against system-level models
• Apply knowledge of advanced integration constraints (I/O, routing, packaging, thermal, signal integrity; 2.5D/3D integration) to architecture and implementation tradeoffs
• Incorporate resiliency features as required (TMR/EDAC, scrubbing, watchdogs, redundancy) and support radiation/reliability analysis and trade studies
• Define scan/BIST strategy, test hooks and observability for lab bring-up, and support post-silicon debug planning and test-vector development
• Maintain design documentation (ICDs, review packages) and present at peer reviews; capture decisions and action items for configuration control
• Contribute to R&D efforts in advanced signal/data processing (e.g., focal-plane arrays, radiation detector readouts, neuromorphic concepts, quantum support circuits) through simulation and small test chips
• Follow configuration management, data handling, and tool/PDK usage practices, coordinating with foundry/MPW schedules and internal processes as applicable

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

Salary Range

$102,400 - $199,700

*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

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Qualifications We Desire

• Strong pr