contacts
phone: 505-665-5627
email: jobs@lanl.gov

Employment FAQs

What types of employment opportunities are available with Los Alamos National Laboratory?

We offer a wide variety of employment options:

regular employment (scientists and engineers, technicians, secretarial/clerical support, and administrative professionals)
postdoctoral appointees
student internships (graduate, undergraduate, and high school)
subcontractors

What is the difference between a LANS and a contractor job?

Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) manages the Laboratory for the Department of Energy. Direct employment means you are a LANS employee. A contract vendor can hire for technical, administrative, and professional level LANL positions as well, and the employer would be the contract vendor of your choice. Currently, LANL works with four contract vendors: The Plus Group, Butler Service Group, Comforce Technical Services, Inc., and Orion Technical Resources. The most significant difference between a LANS position and a contract vendor position is that contract vendor positions are temporary (short term), which may or may not be extended. The salary range for a contract position and a similar LANS position would be the same. However, the benefit packages do differ. The job seeker is asked to research the different contract vendors to determine which one appeals to the applicant’s individual needs.

What are the Laboratory's citizenship requirements for employment?

Applicants for Los Alamos National Laboratory positions must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. For certain positions, citizenship may be required.

How do I apply for employment?

Each of our employment categories has an application process that is customized to that program and involves the completion of an online application or a simple e-mail or hard mail of your resumé to us for consideration. Please review the application instructions outlined for the employment program that interests you.

How soon will I hear from you after I have submitted my online application or résumé?

You will receive an electronic (email) confirmation or letter from us once we have received and processed your application/résumé. If your qualifications match the needs of the Laboratory, a recruiter or the hiring manager will contact you to discuss your interests/qualifications further.

How do I know what the status of my application is?

At the bottom of each job posting is the telephone number that you may use to call and discuss the position or to determine your application status. Therefore, keeping a copy of the job posting is quite handy. Again, please refer to the job number.

I am a student. Is it too late to submit an application? What do I need to do?

The deadline for new student applications is April 1; returning students may apply year-round. Please visit the student programs website for additional information on the application process.

Can I get a copy of my résumé or CV once I submit it?

We encourage you to keep a personal copy of your résumé or CV and all cover letters submitted as well as the printouts of the job(s) for which you have applied. It is possible for us to extract a copy of your résumé or CV from the system if it is necessary. Please refer to the job number when inquiring about a job for which you have applied.

Do I need to submit a new résumé or CV with each job application?

Submit only one comprehensive, generic résumé or CV regardless of the number of jobs for which you are applying. However, if any of your personal contact information changes (for example, name, address, or telephone number), resubmit your updated résumé or CV so that we have your current personal contact information on file.

What is the difference between a résumé and a CV or curriculum vitae?

Résumés are typically summaries of education, work experience, and job history. A "vitae" or CV is an expanded résumé with the addition of technical data, list of publications, poster presentations, lectures and participation at conferences, contribution to proceedings, journal refereeing, grants, patents, etc.

How can I make my résumé or CV stand out?

Your résumé or CV should be quite comprehensive, yet generic, as we recommend that you submit only one résumé or CV regardless of the number of positions to which you apply. Detailed information, unique to your skills and experience, will allow the hiring official to determine quickly whether you are qualified for the job posting.

Is a cover letter really necessary?

A cover letter accomplishes two important functions. First, because your résumé or CV is "generic" your cover letter is the tool to communicate to the hiring official why you are the right person for the position. Here you can address the required and desired skills of the job as well as education requirements and specify how your experience meets 90% or more of these skills. Second, a well-crafted cover letter is an immediate indication to the hiring official that you are interested enough in the position to put forth the extra effort as well as to provide a relevant example of your written communication skills.

Would it help if I hand carry my résumé or CV and cover letter or send it in the mail to Human Resources?

There is no direct benefit to either personally delivering or mailing your résumé or CV and cover letter to Human Resources. The staff would simply forward them to be processed along with the materials of the other applicants who submit electronically.