Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Idaho National Laboratory is hiring a Instrumentation and Controls Engineer to work on our Facility Design and Project Engineering team. Our team works a 9x80 schedule located out of our Idaho Falls facility with every other Friday off. 

Build the systems that power the future of energy, science, and exploration.
This isn't a maintenance role. This isn't another DCS tuning gig. This is a chance to put your hands on some of the most consequential I&C work happening in the country right now — across nuclear, aerospace, and advanced energy R&D. What you'll actually work on:

• HOLTEC SMR — Help bring one of the first commercially viable small modular reactors to life. You'll contribute to safety-classified I&C architecture, digital reactor protection systems, and the HMI that operators will use for decades to come. This is foundational work for the next era of clean baseload power.
• Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) Experiments — Design instrumentation that survives one of the most intense neutron flux environments on Earth. Miniaturized sensors, irradiation-hardened wiring, real-time data acquisition — the kind of engineering puzzles that don't exist anywhere else.
• Advanced Research Support — Build custom data acquisition and control systems for research programs pushing into space exploration, advanced propulsion, and next-gen materials. Your instrumentation captures the data that makes the discoveries possible.
• High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) — Engineer I&C for a flagship asset at the Energy Proving Grounds, validating Gen-IV reactor concepts and industrial heat applications. High-temperature instrumentation, distributed controls, automated test sequencing — at scale, at temperature, at the frontier.
• Nuclear Facility Ventilation & Detection Systems — Design the control logic and detection networks that keep workers, the public, and the environment safe. Radiation, neutron, gas, fire, confinement ventilation — the systems that have to work, every time.
• Environmental Control Systems — Deliver the precision temperature, humidity, and pressure control that sensitive labs and test cells depend on. Tight loops, redundant architectures, zero compromise.

Why this role is different:

• Variety that actually means something. One quarter you're on an SMR safety system. The next you're designing instrumentation for a Research-supported test. You won't get bored.
• Mission that matters. Clean energy. Space exploration. Scientific discovery. National capability. Pick your motivation — it's here.
• Senior engineers who'll actually mentor you. We work shoulder-to-shoulder across disciplines. You'll learn from people who've been doing this for decades and are excited to bring the next generation along.
• Cutting-edge facilities. Few places in the world give I&C engineers access to assets like the ATR, the HTTF, and the Energy Proving Grounds. This is one of them.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Work with a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers on challenging work scopes.
• Work with internal and external partners to identify requirements and commercially available technologies that meet specific specifications.
• Collaborate and partner with other government agencies, academia, and private sector companies to achieve project goals. Decompose project goals into defined and controlled design requirements.
• Use design methodologies, technologies, and processes which are best practices for the technical discipline to develop and define a design, and to validate that the design meets defined requirements.
• Develop physics-based mathematical models of mechanical, chemical, and electrical systems to support and verify design.
• Establish testing, inspection, and quality requirements to ensure technical features important to design functions are maintained.
• Oversee or otherwise ensure that fabrication, construction, assembly, and procurement are done in accordance with the design.
• Ensure that analysis needs are recorded and clearly understood. Document the design (controlled and approved models, drawings, specifications, design descriptions) to establish conformance with design requirements and applicable codes and standards.
• Ensure that data and analysis generated by the instruments are of high quality and meet customer and user needs.
• Participate in professional development activities aimed at keeping pace with industry developments. Maintain familiarity with and technical understanding of codes and standards applicable to the discipline.
• Maintain knowledge of newly emerging technologies and applications to the nuclear industry.
• Identify applicable codes, standards, regulations, and procedures.
• Publish and communicate research accomplished on the instrument and instrument improvements to both external and internal audiences with the goal of enhancing INL’s reputation and building a strong user base for the instrument.
• Mentor junior staff and look for opportunities to involve them in current projects.

Required:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or a directly related field from a program accredited by ABET.
• Level 3: Bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience or Master's degree and 2 years of experience.
• Level 4: Bachelor's degree and 9 years of experience or Master's degree and 6 years of experience.
• Relevant experience includes: engineering, hands-on electrical work such as a journeyman electrician, mechanical technician, I&C technician or programmer, or similar mechanical field. 
• If the position is within the National and Homeland Security Directorate, must be a US Citizen and have the ability to obtain and maintain a DOE “L” or clearance. 
• Professional Engineering (PE) License is preferred but not required.
   

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, and work in an office and field environment, which may include construction sites. The job requires hand/finger dexterity to keyboard or type, handle materials, manipulate tools, and reach with hands and arms. The job requires operation of job-related equipment and driving a vehicle. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with the public is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job Information:

• The pay range for this position is: Level 3 ($95,256 - $195,288) / Level 4 ($114,360 - $234,336). At Idaho National Laboratory compensation decisions are determined using factors such as education, relevant experience, and other credentials.
• Multi-Level: This is a multi-level posting and you will be placed at the appropriate level dependent on depth and breadth of proven experience and skills.
• TDP: This is a testing designated position; you will be required to submit to a pre-employment drug screen and periodic drug testing throughout the term of your employment.