Engineering at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Engineers work on projects ranging from small-scale sensors to large experimental reactors and infrastructure systems. The following sections summarize the key areas of engineering at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Weapons systems engineering: design, testing, and manufacturing

Engineers at Los Alamos design and test weapons systems to evaluate  and ensure performance, reliability, and safety. This includes building prototypes, using mathematical and computational simulations to predict system behavior, and developing specialized testing equipment. The Lab also works on long-term maintenance and sustainment strategies for these systems.

National security and science engineering

Los Alamos engineers contribute to national security by analyzing infrastructure vulnerabilities, assessing the effects of weapons, and developing technology for monitoring and defense applications.

Plutonium and advanced materials engineering

Los Alamos is a center for plutonium research, with engineering efforts focused on manufacturing, surveillance, and nuclear energy applications.

Facilities and operations support engineering

Los Alamos engineers design, maintain, and upgrade buildings and infrastructure to support the Lab’s research and operational activities. This includes work on nuclear and non-nuclear facilities, high-hazard research laboratories, and site-wide infrastructure.

Computer and software engineering

At Los Alamos, engineers develop and maintain software, computing systems, and cybersecurity measures to support scientific and engineering applications. The Lab continues to modernize its high-performance computing systems and cybersecurity infrastructure to support ongoing research and mission needs. ★