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Weapons Engineering

Associate Laboratory Directorate of Weapons Engineering

The Associate Laboratory Directorate of Weapons Engineering (ALDW) integrates the stockpile stewardship program and executes weapons engineering and testing in support of the Laboratory's critical mission. ALDW consists of the 6 Divisions and 5 Programs Offices.

Careers in Weapons Engineering at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Associate Laboratory Director and Chief Engineer James Owen describes some of the exciting career opportunities within the Weapons Engineering directorate (ALDW) and across the Laboratory.

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Engineering Technology and Design (E)
The Engineering Technology and Design (E) Division provides innovative engineering solutions while stewarding and expanding capabilities to answer tomorrow’s evolving threats. Engineering Technology and Design provides diverse research and development (R&D) solutions and capabilities including requirements definition, design, analysis, fabrication, assembly, testing, and evaluation.
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Integrated Weapons Experiments (J)
The Integrated Weapons Experiments (J) Division executes large-scale, integrated experiments, emphasizing subcritical experiments, hydrodynamic tests, focused experiments, and tests of complex engineered systems. Integrated Weapons Experiments employs multi-disciplinary teams and state-of-the-art diagnostics on these experiments to deliver extraordinary data for customers.
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Dynamic Experiments (M)
The Dynamic Experiments (M) Division executes and develops explosive science and shock physics programs through the fabrication and application of energetic materials and use of large-scale research gun systems. Dynamic Experiments produces and certifies large-scale, high-explosives components and conducts high-explosive science and shock physics experiments and modeling while studying dynamic-system and material response.
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Weapon Stockpile Modernization (Q)
The Weapon Stockpile Modernization (Q) Division provides the system engineering, program management, component technology development, and system and sub-system testing necessary to field modernizations authorized to extend the life of Los Alamos National Laboratory-designed weapons in the active United States nuclear stockpile.
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Weapon Systems Engineering (W)
The Weapons System Engineering (W) Division provides the program management and system engineering necessary to sustain the safety, reliability, and security of the legacy nuclear stockpile. The division generates key certification data for annual assessments on the health of certain warheads. This role demands ongoing surveillance of the active stockpile and evaluation of the potential impact of any issues.
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Weapons Engineering Facilities Operations (WFO)
The Weapons Facilities and Operations (WFO) Division operates, maintains, and constructs infrastructure in direct support of mission-focused research and development efforts. The division ensures readiness in mission execution, operations, and maintenance at over 500 Laboratory facilities across 23 square miles, including nuclear, accelerator, and high explosives portfolios.
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Office of Design Agency Quality
The Office of Design Agency Quality formally documents quality controls and establishes instructions, materials, and expertise for training, monitoring, assessment, and improvement. The office ensures established organizational procedures align with customer requirements. It also liaises with counter-intelligence threat monitoring, recommends controls, and performs monitoring to detect adversarial subversion of products.
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