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HTMLText_33711F51_3D9B_3042_41C8_5BBC76E1A7A1.html = Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Applications (MESA)
Welcome to MESA, home of Sandia’s advanced nuclear weapons research, design and development functions, as well as integrated materials research, and the production facilities for microsystem technologies.
Focused primarily on the nuclear weapons mission, the facilities that make up MESA ultimately connect with all of Sandia's mission areas via microsystems research and applications.
After eight years of construction, MESA was completed in 2007 at a cost of $518 million. It was Sandia's largest construction project since the Labs' first permanent buildings were built in the 1940s.
898 Lobby
Building 898 is a three-story, partially pre-fabricated, facility housing offices and light laboratories. Designed as an integrated facility promoting interaction among groups via workspace blocks, the building sports a postmodern, high-tech industrial design. The soaring lobby and high ceilings create an open and empowering environment for the design work housed here.
This is it? Not at all.
Sandia’s a big place. Tours for Health Services, Emergency Operations Center, Shipping and Receiving, Facilities, and Training are all coming soon.
Gowning Room
Clean rooms environments are kept clean both by limiting the volume of particles introduced to the space and by constantly moving the air to remove particles. Workers wear protective garments to reduce the number of contaminants they introduce to the room. This changing station allows staff to put on appropriate layers prior to entering a clean room; additional changing rooms allow for full changes of clothing.
858 Lobby
Originally built in the late 1980s to house the Manufacturing Development Laboratory and its offices, Building 858 expanded significantly when 858EF (the MicroFab) and 858EL (MicroLab) were added as part of the MESA construction. The building houses wafer manufacturing, compound semiconductor fabrication, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) production, and electronic circuit manufacturing.
MicroFab
The MESA Microsystems Fabrication facility is one of the most complex buildings at Sandia. It is the first in the world to combine silicon processing with fabrication of compound semiconductors under one roof. This is the heart of microsystem manufacturing, done primarily in cleanrooms.
858 SiliconFab
Building 898 is a three-story, partially pre-fabricated, facility housing offices and light laboratories. Designed as an integrated facility promoting interaction among groups via workspace blocks, the building sports a postmodern, high-tech industrial design. Its polished stone and steel and glass exterior includes curvilinear walled ribbons of windows leading to the northeast entrance, and extended wings with sun-protecting louvered windows. The soaring lobby and high ceilings create an open and empowering environment for the design work housed here.
898 Corridor
State-of-the-art videoconferencing and stunning projection capabilities make the VIEWS Corridor a prime viewing and sharing spot for scientific computing displays. Output from the visualization tools used in Sandia's high performance computing arena can be projected in 3D. The area is a magnet for VIP visits and tours.
858 Photolith Lab
Sandia maintains a clean room outside of the MicroFab area for its photolithography processes. This allows the MESA workers to develop and maintain customized processes without disruption to the manufacturing effort.
This is it? Not at all.
Sandia's a big place. Tours for Health Services, Emergency Operations Center and Shipping and Receiving are coming soon.
Critical Skills Full-Time Program participants pursue either a master’s or doctoral degree on a full-time basis while remaining on roll but being absent from Sandia. While enrolled in the Critical Skills Full-Time Program, participants receive a reduced salary that does not change during program participation. Participants are not subject to the normal performance evaluation process.
The Critical Skills Part-Time Program provides full-time, regular employees with an opportunity to complete a master’s or doctoral program on a full-time basis while working at Sandia 30 hours per week. Program participants remain classified as full-time, regular employees earning full-time pay and full-time benefits and are subject to the normal performance and evaluation process.
Many classes are taught by Sandia employees who have an idea of something they would like to teach. Subjects span across fields and disciplines and include computer and software classes, project management and much more. Instructors take basic instructor training and can work with instructional designers to create their own curriculum.
Experts in physical security at Sandia apply the technology and methods of the game industry to real-world national security problems. Using augmented reality headsets, computer scientists have adapted augmented reality to enhance physical security training and analysis.
Sandia has a large, continuously expanding catalog of online courses that are available to take at any time and almost anywhere. Many of the classes are centered around environment, safety, and health.
Sandia instructors work hard to make classes engaging and interactive. Some of these classes include leadership courses, teambuilding courses, and safety training.
Courses like fiber-optics training, respirator training, forklift training, and confined space training start in a classroom. Then students move to areas where they can apply the training.
Sandia’s Distance Learning Program allows employees to take classes onsite through approved University Programs institutions. At Sandia, the Distance Learning Program consists of two subprograms: full-semester, university-based instructional television and satellite seminar short courses.
This is a one-stop shop for Sandia employees to find all training and development courses offered at the Labs. Many disciplines and topics are covered, as are a variety of delivery methods including classroom, online and community learning.
Sandia provides tuition assistance to regular, on-roll employees for courses and degree programs in an academic area relevant to the employee’s job family or to another position to which the employee may reasonably be moved by management (excluding Legal). Educational assistance will be limited to tuition costs only. Fees, materials, books, supplies, and other expenses are the responsibility of the participant.
Sandia Free University is a grassroots effort to provide free learning at Sandia during off hours. Courses are taught onsite by current employees on topics relevant to Sandia. The goal is to leverage the treasure trove of accomplished, eager, and creative minds at Sandia to educate each other. The slate of courses is supply-and-demand driven. There is a call for teaching proposals 3-4 times a year.
Sandia hosts speaker series on a wide range of topics including national security, technical symposiums, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellness. In addition, many of Sandia’s organizations hold communities of practice, lunch time learning sessions and workshops on topics ranging from virtual reality, nuclear deterrence, artificial intelligence, and microgrid power distribution.
Many employees will find opportunities to continue learning and growing into new roles at Sandia, including in to leadership. The Labs have an extensive list of courses for emerging leaders, managers, senior managers, and directors. Courses range from the history of the nuclear weapons complex, to writing courses, managing within the law, team integration, diversity and inclusion, and many more. In addition to classes, Sandia provides leadership programs and leadership coaching and mentoring to Sandia management and high potential staff.
When Z Division of Los Alamos was established, its assignment included military liaison to work with the military to ensure a smooth handoff of the nuclear weapons to the services. This included a training element on how the weapons work and how they are maintained as well as creating the manuals associated with each system. As Z Division evolved into Sandia National Laboratories, it maintained the military liaison assignment and the obligation to ensure those responsible for working with nuclear weapons within the Department of Defense are given adequate information about and training on items in the stockpile.
Talent Management and Development’s mentor program provides participants with knowledge and skills necessary to develop and foster a rewarding mentoring relationship. Students learn the benefits and responsibilities of mentoring and discuss the mentoring process and a mentee’s responsibilities.
Sandia maintains full-service, in-house custodial services. At the New Mexico site alone, that means servicing approximately 3.5 million square feet of office, lobby, laboratory, break room, classroom, and conference room space. Integrated with Sandia’s environment, safety, and health initiatives, the services not only clean the spaces but also assist with the collection of recycling and support for a composting pilot program. Daily cleaning activities emphasize health first.
In 1998, Sandia launched the Weapon Intern Program (WIP). With no new weapons in development and a concern that the existing knowledge base for nuclear weapons design was retiring, Sandia introduced WIP to provide career development opportunities for new generations of nuclear weapons stewards.
Available to applicants from within Sandia, across the Nuclear Security Enterprise, and the military, WIP creates an evolving one-year curriculum where the primary emphasis is teaching participants about the history, research and perspectives of the nuclear weapon system and component engineering.
The program curriculum includes classroom instruction on nuclear policy and strategy, the nuclear security enterprise, nuclear evolution, customer requirements, nuclear and non-nuclear components, and more. As part of the course, students also have the option to visit many sites including other labs around the country, the Trinity Site in New Mexico and Washington, D.C.
As a result of the science and technology development agreement between Sandia Labs and the University of Texas System, the state of Texas has authorized the University of Texas System Board of Regents to provide a college tuition benefit to Sandia employees and their families. Therefore, a person employed by Sandia or that person’s spouse or child may pay the in-state tuition rate when enrolled at a University of Texas System institution. The University of Texas System includes nine academic and six health institutions.
As working styles and office interactions have evolved over the years, Sandia’s space has evolved along with them. When opportunities for renovation of office space appear, Facilities may create collaborative spaces—known as FOCIS Rooms—with features that encourage thoughtful interaction. Depending on the existing architecture and overall requirements, features installed to enhance brainstorming and discussion may include the use of vibrant colors, whiteboard-type writing surfaces on walls, ample space for movement, and glass walls to open the feeling of the room and invite interaction.
Lean Green Belt training provides a background in Lean thinking and behaviors to provide the most value to the customer by reducing waste and streamlining processes. This course equips participants with practical tools to utilize the A3 problem solving format. Participants gain understanding of the tools, techniques, and tactics to lead a continuous improvement effort and drive breakthrough results.
The T-Bird café is dedicated to helping Sandia reach its goal of Zero Waste by 2025. As a part of that effort, the café no longer uses any plastic foam. Instead, there are china plates and plastic cups available for dining in, and recyclable containers for taking food on the go. Also, there are recycling stations in the café that accept plastic, compost, and landfill. Not sure what goes where? Don’t worry, it’s easy. This Zero Waste station has a nifty mural that’s color coded. The grey bin is for landfill items, the blue bin is for plastics, and the green one is for compost. Plus, there’s a silver bin for all your aluminum (it’s even shaped like a can). If you’re still not sure how to Zero Waste your tray, just follow the pictures on the wall above each bin; they’ll show you what goes where.
Learn more about what can be recycled here. For more information about composting, go here. Get the latest on Sandia’s journey to Zero Waste here. For those pressed for time, there’s also an option to order food online. Choose from a variety of Freshwiches, salads and beverages. Diners can then select a time to pick up their order the following day. There’s even a delivery option. Orders will be delivered to drop spots such as MO307 in the Preventative Health Break Room, the first floor break room in 823, the first floor of Building 6585 in Area V, or at the Awake Café in the uncleared lobby of 898. Order online here. For the budget conscious diners, there’s always the $6 daily special. Options range from chicken salad on a croissant, ½ ham and swiss on marble rye, or an 8 oz. soup with tuna salad on a croissant.
As with the Grill, daily selections vary, so check the menu. Options can range from chicken pesto to sausage and mushroom to pepperoni to fire roasted peppers with onions and black olives.
The world station is where things get exotic, with selections from, well, around the world. Again, there’s a daily variety, so be sure to check the menu. Some of the dishes featured here include South Indian Chicken or Tofu Curry of Basmati, Catfish Po’Boy Hoagie, Beef and Cheese Ravioli with Pesto Alfredo sauce and meatballs, or even ham and scalloped potatoes au gratin with corn cobette. And that’s just a small sampling.
The café sells reusable water bottles and cups that not only help save the environment, but can save you some coin as well; refills are just $1.
With a rotating menu that changes almost daily, the talented cooks and chef behind the scenes start early and stay busy making sure lunch meals are fresh and ready to go on time each and every day.
The goal of Taher’s Food4Life program is to provide high-quality, fresh, and nutritionally balanced foods to every customer. These foods are minimally processed to increase the consumption of natural fibers and other natural ingredients while decreasing caloric intake, saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars and any artificial ingredients. Look for the Food4Life logo to ensure healthy eating habits or for selections that are compatible with eating programs such as Weight Watchers. Read more about the Food4Life initiative here.
Confused about where to put your lunchtime waste? No worries, the handy Zero Waste wall will guide you and your trash to the right spots.
The Freshwich station has options for all kinds of, that’s right, fresh sandwiches. Again, options vary day-to-day, week-to-week, so try to keep up with the weekly menu. Some of the selections you can find here include chicken saltimbocca on ciabatta, buffalo chicken wrap with blue cheese dressing, roast beef with cheddar and horseradish cream on a pretzel bun, or a BLAT – bacon, lettuce, avocado and turkey spinach wrap.
There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian selections each week, including roasted broccoli, mushroom, potato and spinach with tomato wrap; tofu, dried apricot and superfood slaw in spinach wrap; pilaf, nut and seed pita with herb and tomato salad, or Caribbean curry whole wheat wrap with mango salsa just to name a few.
If you consider yourself a sandwich artist, there’s a self-serve sandwich bar at the café where you can indulge your inner Dagwood. Create the sandwich of your lunchtime dreams, and if you like, you can even have it toasted panini style to get that melty-cheese goodness flowing.
Have a busy day ahead? The Grab n’ Go counter provides some healthy, tasty options that are pre-packed and ready to grab as one heads into mayhem of a busy day. These lunches are stocked each morning so it’s convenient for people to grab a lunch for later. Selections include a specialty wrap or sandwich of the day, basic sandwiches such as egg, chicken or tuna salad, snack cups that rotate in variety, yogurts, whole fruits, and a selection of beverages such as Life Water and Naked Juice.
Diners can see what’s available at the café preview plates that are put on display each day before lunch begins. These plates are prepared fresh daily by the cooks and show exactly what options are available at each of the stations that day, letting diners get a quick glimpse of what can grace their plates. This can be helpful because options change every day, keeping things fresh and tasty.
The T-Bird café has already seen numerous changes, but there are many more on the horizon. The east facing walls of the cafeteria will be garage doors that can be fully opened during the many beautiful, sunny days enjoyed here in New Mexico. This fluid indoor/outdoor dining experience will be further enhanced by transforming the space into one that’s useful outside the busy lunch hour to allow people to meet, work, network, socialize and re-energize. There will also be a meeting space that can be reserved. Phase A of these planned renovations is already funded for FY18-19 and includes updating the main entrance and coffee station.
If you’d like to learn more about nutrition, the café has a Harvest of the Month program that promotes different fruits, vegetables, herbs and legumes. Each month learn fun facts like how the Bing cherry is the most popular sweet cherry in the U.S. and it was developed in Oregon. You can also learn calories, fat, sodium and sugar information about the foods featured each month. Learn more about the Cafe's nutritional facts here.
Fun Fact: A legume is a dry fruit contained within a shell or pod such as peas, beans, peanuts or alfalfa.
The café often offers special menus for the holidays, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For instance, at Thanksgiving the staff cooks up traditional favorites such as turkey, stuffing, potatoes and of course, pie. However, you’ll want to be sure to get there early, or be prepared to stand in line for your meal.
The café hosts a cooking demonstration once every quarter and features a special guest chef who shares useful cooking tips, insights, and tricks. For instance, in March 2018’s demo, Chef Maureen Lisi-MacReady demonstrated how to create a delicious, and healthy, chicken soup by using ingredients that are likely to already be in the pantry. Chef Lisi-MacReady trained at the California Culinary Academy, the New England Culinary Institute, and in Italy at the Hotel Danieli.
There’s something different each day and each week, so be sure to check the Thunderbird menu for what’s being offered, but selections can range from specialty burgers to grilled cheese for “grown-ups” to delectable, specially prepared sandwiches.
Each day also comes with a different soup or chili to choose from. Choices here can range from lemon chicken orzo soup or lentil sausage soup, to Baja fish stew and beef chili.
There are nine different food stations at the T-Bird Cafe serving a wide variety of culinary delights. The cafe also features a self-serve sandwich bar and salad bar. For those on a particularly tight schedule, there's also grab-and-go selections featuring bistro options. Check out the weekly menu. For those wanting something a bit fresher, and greener, and more vegetably, there’s always the salad grab. Selections here range from bulgar wheat greek salad to romaine gorgonzola apple and bacon to a simple pasta salad, there’s lots to choose from here. In fact, this salad bar is considered one of the best deals in town and is one of the most popular stations in the café.
For those looking for a little pick me up, coffee is available from 6am to 3pm. Everything from brewed coffee to full-service specialty coffees are available, provided from Ronnoco Coffee, which was started in 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis by the O’Connor brothers (Ronnoco is O’Connor spelled backwards).
Stretch bands are sheathed in nylon for one important reason; in the unlikely event that someone is strong enough to stretch them to their breaking point (which has yet to happen), they won’t be struck in the face. Safety first.
This station helps users stretch various muscle groups. The chair (or contraption, if preferred) helps people get into the right position to stretch everything from hip flexors to the back to glutes. There are easy-to-follow instructions for a wide variety of stretches included on the machine, just to help users figure out where to start their stretch, and to make the contraption seem a little less intimidating.
Using the machines aren’t the only way to work out those kinks from a long day in the office, there are stretches that can be done with bands or just on the floor. Wall anchors provide a place to use stretch bands, and there are also mats and rollers available for use. The bands can be moved and tensioned for the desired stretch and are color coded according to tension level: green is hardest, red is medium, and yellow is easiest. Instructions for a wide variety of stretches are provided for using the bands and/or simply stretching on the floor.
All it takes is a couple pushes of a button to add a new vibe (as in vibration) to your stretch.
True it may look like one, but this piece of equipment stays on dry land and can be found in select Energy Hubs. The cage provides users with a wide variety of anchors and angles to perform many different types of stretches. It also provides the basis to hold stretches in a way that helps maintain balance, which is critical for enhanced relaxation. Officially named the True-Stretch station, or stretch cage informally, the cage makes it possible to do stretches that would be difficult on the floor or using a doorway. There stretch are cages are located in CGSC, 957, MO307, 894, 6585.
The Zen Pro is a vibrating platform that provides an unstable surface to increase the intensity and benefit of exercises such as planks, lunges, squats, and push-ups. The vibration destabilizes the surface on which the muscles are working, which forces them to work harder and better.
The Zen Pro does have one caveat; it has been known to make people feel car sick. Anyone who gets easily motion sick may want to avoid this particular device.
The are 15000 clearances tied to Sandia National Labs, and the clearance office owns 12500 of them. Sandia also has the highest number of Q clearances in the DOE system. There are just six people in the clearance office working to keep all those clearances in the clear; a huge task.
True, the Personnel Security Team has won ERA awards, but they’re particularly proud of their Tailgate Award. Each year their division puts on a tailgate challenge and awards a trophy to the best team. The Badge Office has consistently dominated, winning the trophy four out of the five years the award has been given out. One year they are particularly proud of is 2016, where all the men dressed as cheerleaders, the women as football players and they even did a cheer.
On a typical day at the Sandia Badge Office, around 300 people will snake through its line to get help with a variety of issues. However, there aren’t really any typical days here because some days feature lots of visitors for a conference, some days feature high profile guests coming to learn about the work done here at Sandia, and some days are jam-packed with kids. If variety is the spice of life, then the Sandia Badge Office is the spice rack of the labs.
Energy Hubs are purpose-built spaces where people can recharge their energy, restore posture, and recover focus by taking a strategic break from busy days of computing and meetings. Whether it’s the need for a good revitalizing stretch, taking some time to be mindful, or just the need for a few minutes of peace and quiet, Energy Hubs are designed to be the place to do just that. Many hubs also double as a private space for nursing mothers.
The Clearance Office isn’t officially part of the Badge Office, it’s really a sister program to the Badge Office, but it has one of the most important tasks; they make sure all the clearance information is correct before giving the Badge Office the all-clear to issue a badge. An important note: Only request the level of clearance needed to get your job done. It’s not faster to request an L clearance and then get a Q clearance; those are actually two separate investigations. It’s best just to request what you need right from the start.
Some Energy Hubs include private Virgin Pulse kiosks that can take blood pressure and record weight. They may also include a touch screen with videos that walk through various mindfulness exercises and meditations, or videos with stretching instructions. A large percentage of accidents at the workplace are a direct result of the lack of mindfulness, so taking a moment to reflect, relax, and re-gather during the day not only helps with energy, but helps with safety and security as well.
Not sure how to start limbering up? Not to worry, most energy hubs have some simple instructions on various stretches and how to use the bands and wall mount, and even how to stretch out on the floor. It’s the next best thing to having a personal trainer. (add photo of stretching instructions).
All Energy Hubs are slightly different; they’re customized based on available space and funding provided by the Division. Features and function range from small private rooms for nursing mothers to large areas with kiosks, touch screens and postural/stretching equipment. Centers requesting a new energy hub can make sure their space meets the needs of their workers. There’s a list of the potential amenities that can be included in an energy hub at the Energy Hub homepage. The fact is that smiles are okay for any badge EXCEPT for the federal credential or HSPD12. The reason; it’s all about facial recognition. Getting a federal credential enrolls you in a system used by other agencies. While there are efforts being made to change this no smiling requirement when it comes to the federal credentials, for now, prepare your best poker-face for this photo, and don’t expect to be asked to say “Cheese!”
Whenever a badge is issued, it’s tied to the access control system, which is what allows that badge to provide its user access to Sandia. Occasionally, things might not work the way they’re supposed to. This badge tester lets users make sure their shiny new badge works the way it’s supposed to before they get all the way out to Tech Area V. So, before you leave the Badge Office, give your badge a quick swipe to make sure everything is A-OK.
The enrollment station is where you present the documentation needed to claim your federal credential. It’s also where you’ll get fingerprinted and have your photo taken. (Remember NOT to smile).
If you already have a HSPD12 credential, it may occasionally need to be updated. That’s what these stations are for. The stations can also update expired credentials, or unlock badges that may have been inadvertently locked. The process generally only takes about five or six minutes.
The busiest day at the Sandia Badge Office is easily Kids Day at the Labs. In 2018, over 1800 kids came to see their parent’s workplace here at the labs, and most of them stopped by the badge office to get a special souvenir badge to commemorate the day. Over 1000 of these unique souvenirs are handed out each year. The staff at the Badge Office go the extra mile to make this event special, often dressing up in themed costumes (like super heroes), having plenty of candy on hand, and providing lots of props to help the kids get a truly unique photo for their badge (something their parents will never get to do). It’s the most tiring day of the year for those who work here, but it’s also their most enjoyable day.
The badge office can be pretty busy at times, especially on Mondays. If you want to minimize your time in line, the best time to come in for a badge is Thursday afternoon. Generally, avoid Monday and Tuesday mornings, and other days by 0930hrs the crowds will usually have died down a bit.
The Badge Office is the first stop for any visit to Sandia Labs, and the first stop at this first stop is usually one of these stations. These badging stations are where visitors or employees can pick up or enroll their HSPD12 federal credential, or get their LSSO badge. Contractors also have to stop by one of these stations to get their badge in order to gain access to Sandia.
Take a look around the Badge Office and you’ll see plenty of hints that this groups isn’t one of those “all work and no play” groups. From the giant Texas hat that was part of a fond farewell to one of the team members, to the proudly displayed tailgate award. There are plenty of signs that the crew of the Badge Office know how to let loose and have some fun.
This poster simply shows the officially authorized badges at Sandia National Laboratories. Security is the responsibility of everyone at the Labs, which is why it’s useful to be familiar these authorized badges; it’ll make it easy to notice when something looks out of place.
Sandia's training department utilizes superior training facilities and instructional methods, provides a catalogue of over 4,000 courses, and instructors who include some of the most respected and accomplished scientists and researchers in nanotechnology, pulsed power, nuclear engineering and material science among many other fields. The training department's highly qualified staff of organizational development professionals and learning science staff identify organizational needs and translate them into training classes, performance support tools, organizational development interventions and recommendations.
Employees can choose to join the Virgin Pulse program and engage in wellness activities that subsidize a health reimbursement account with funds that can be used for a variety of healthcare expenses and that carry over year to year.
The Sandia Medical Clinic can provide diagnostic x-ray services on site. These may be performed with orders from on- or offsite physicians for routine skeletal, chest and sinus x-rays at no cost. Having x-rays done on site saves trips to offsite clinics and helps Sandia’s health professionals and offsite primary care physicians quickly diagnose illnesses or injuries.
As part of the clinic’s comprehensive occupational medicine program, employees are provided with resources and health monitoring, especially those in work assignments with potential risk of exposure to regulated hazardous substances or potentially harmful work duties. The goal is for all members of the workforce to work in environments safe for themselves, fellow employees, SNL facilities, the environment, and the public.
Sandia has an onsite logo store where employees can purchase logo items. Employees are also invited to use the Sandia Employee Recreation Program to join a sport or recreational league and for discounts on fitness and recreation equipment, sporting events, local fun centers, concerts, and more.
Sandia’s Behavioral Health and Employee Assistance program can help employees who are facing issues, including anxiety, grief, depression, and substance abuse. Sandia’s onsite providers offer confidential counseling, behavioral health education, and referrals to community providers.
The Employee Preventive Health programs, Sandia Medical Clinic, and Health Management Clinic help employees improve their overall well-being, manage chronic conditions or coordinate long-term specialty care with primary care providers in the community.
The Sandia Medical Clinic is employees’ first line of treatment for work-related injury, illness, and emergency medical services. No security clearance is required to access the clinic services.
Employees with appointments at the Sandia Medical Clinic can check in here, or at a nearby kiosk. Services include treatment for illnesses and injuries, occupational medicine, allergy shots, physical therapy, x-rays, phlebotomy services, and drug tests. Employees needing shots or medical advice from the International Travel Clinic also check in here or at the kiosk.
The Sandia Medical Clinic hosts a yearly flu shot clinic, administering more than 3,000 flu shots to employees.
When you visit the Sandia Medical Clinic, please be prepared to provide health status information including medications you are taking, allergies, medical history, and contact information for your primary care physician and specialists.
Allergies affect almost half of Sandia’s population. Sandia’s Allergy Clinic can save employees time and money, whether they are just beginning a course of allergy injections. or have already received allergy shots.
To take advantage of allergy clinic services, employees must first see an offsite allergist for evaluation. If they are given immunotherapy orders, they can bring their serum onsite and the Sandia Medical Clinic will help administer shots.
The International Travel Clinic provides services to help with business-related international travel needs. It’s important that employees contact the ITC 6-8 weeks before beginning business-related international travel, as some preventive vaccines must be started early for full effect.
ITC provides:
• A health assessment associated with the country the employee will be traveling to
• Required and recommended immunizations
• Tuberculosis surveillance (TB skin tests)
• Counseling to minimize the risk of disease
• Malaria chemoprophylaxis, if appropriate for the destination country
The Employee Health Services’ clinical laboratory provides onsite lab tests and phlebotomy services. The clinical laboratory will even perform certain covered lab work requested by the employee’s offsite physician at an in-network cost. Having lab work done onsite saves employees trips to offsite clinics and helps Sandia’s health professionals and an offsite primary care physician diagnose, treat, and monitor health conditions. Lab services are available for occupational health monitoring, disease management, preventive screenings, and urgent health care needs.
Sandia Labs has a Preventive Health team that provides wellness services to employees. Employees can choose from a variety of group fitness and wellness classes held around campus. The team also schedules Skype and telephone appointments for nutrition, stress, sleep, and wellness coaching.
The Sandia Medical Clinic has an onsite pharmacist. Medications are provided as needed, but most prescriptions are sent electronically to patients’ preferred pharmacies.
When employees have a medical emergency at Sandia, an onsite ambulance service provides transportation to a medical facility. Depending on the situation, an employee may be transported to the Sandia Medical Clinic or to an offsite hospital emergency room.
Employees should always call 911 via Sandia’s system for medical emergencies, especially chest pain, severe abdominal pain, stroke symptoms, severe headaches, and head injuries.
Sandia’s clinic goal is to get all patients into exam rooms within 5 minutes of their check-in times.
To request an appointment, employees can call the clinic or sign into the FollowMyHealth website and click on Appointment Requests.
Employees needing same-day appointments are encouraged to call as early as 7 a.m. No appointments are needed for medical emergencies, work-related injuries, return-to-work exams, allergy services, or immunizations.
Most employees don’t know that the Sandia Medical Clinic has a decontamination room in case people are exposed to dangerous chemicals or radiation. The clinic holds drills so providers, nurses, and medical assistants are prepared for HAZMAT situations.
Sandia employees and contractors whose job responsibilities involve special safety circumstances — such as crane and hoist operators and security personnel — and those who are involved in a workplace accident are subject to mandatory drug screening protocols. In addition, all Sandia employees may be randomly selected for a drug screening at any time.
The case management team assists expectant moms, employees who will be out of the office for surgery or illness. The team helps prepare documents and educates employees on short- and long-term disability and workers’ compensation programs.
Doctors and mid-level providers assist patients with a wide range of medical questions and symptomatic issues and can complete occupational medicine fit-for-duty exams or physicals. Providers also connect the workforce with onsite preventive health and health management programs to improve overall well-being.
Sandia physical therapists primarily treat orthopedic injuries, with priority for workers comp, and then the general employee.
Physical therapists also provide pre-employment physical testing to make sure new hires can work safely in their new jobs.
Employees scheduling physical therapy appointments at the Sandia clinic must have a physician’s referral.
Employees can check in for appointments at a digital kiosk, as well as the front desk. Employees typically check-in here for allergy shots, blood pressure checks, and return-to-work services for employees who have been out of the office for more than five working days or seven consecutive days.
The Sandia Medical Clinic provides emergency medical services for anyone experiencing a medical emergency on site. For Sandia employees, the clinic also provides no-cost treatment for acute or episodic care for a variety of illnesses and injuries. There is no cost for services including ambulance transports for emergency care offsite during operational hours. Acute and non-emergency care are not available to contractors or guests.
The Sandia Health Management Clinic provides adjunct healthcare and lifestyle support for employees with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Physicians support patients by partnering with their primary care providers in the community. They can help manage issues, so employees don’t need to travel to offsite medical clinics as often.
The Preventive Health team offers several Health Action Plans to help Sandia employees improve aspects of their health while earning money for their health reimbursement accounts. Health Action Plans are geared toward a wide variety of health interests including increasing exercise, eating healthier, managing stress, and more.
Sandia employs nutritionists, personal trainers, and exercise specialists, as well as sleep and stress educators and psychologists.
In recent decades, Sandia’s New Mexico site has had the opportunity to build several new facilities to house offices and light labs. They are located throughout the site and have a consistent look and appeal. They frequently use the rusty brick red of the site’s earliest permanent buildings as an accent color for entrances and walls, tying the campus’s appearance together.
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The Facilities organization maintains design guidelines for the appearance and layout of all elements of the campus — from entrances and walkways to building height, windows, and materials. The early decades of construction did not always proceed in keeping with previous architectural designs, but recent efforts stress keeping new designs compatible with existing styles, with an emphasis on a “science and technology” appearance. It is, for example, expected that the flat roofs common in existing buildings will continue to be appropriate in the future, especially as designs are to be simple, yet creative.
During the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, OPEC initiated an oil embargo against any state supporting Israel in the conflict, including the United States. Oil prices rose quickly, making energy savings a nationwide goal. Sandia’s saving measures included slicing the lunch hour in half, adjusting building temperatures, and cutting heating and cooling on weekends and holidays. Beginning in 1974, the Lab instituted a week-long shutdown around the Christmas holiday, with about 45% in savings in electrical energy and 30% in fuel. By 1977, the annual shutdown was standardized - the Lab gathered Federal holidays from elsewhere in the calendar to cover the time off. Forty years later, it still makes a difference, with annual savings of more than 820,000 kilowatt hours of energy - enough to power 31 homes or a 50,000-square-foot Sandia office building for a year.
Sandia/New Mexico depends on Facilities to maintain and support
• 22 miles of 115 kilovolt and 46 kilovolt transmission line,
• approximately 14 115 kilovolt and 46 kilovolt power substations, and
• approximately 36 circuit miles of distribution cable and roughly 168
underground power manholes that make up the 12.47 kilovolt
distribution system running through Tech Areas I, II, and IV.
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Fleet Services is responsible for all of Sandia’s vehicles — procuring them, tracking them, servicing them, and moving them around. In a small set of older buildings in the northeast portion of Tech Area I at the New Mexico site, Fleet maintains vehicles for temporary use as well as those assigned to specific organizations. Sandia’s other sites — Sandia California, Tonopah Test Range, and the Kauai Test Facility — also maintain or procure appropriate services for their vehicles.
This time-lapse video of a new building going up at the MESA site provides a nuts-and-bolts view of building construction.
Sandia’s new construction projects have worked within Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements for more than two decades as part of a push for environmentally sound resource management. In September 2017, Sandia received LEED campus certification for the New Mexico and California sites, meaning that all new construction must be registered and certified using pre-approved credits and prerequisites. In 2018, Sandia went farther, and the New Mexico site achieved LEED v.4 certification; it was the first DOE lab and the first in the state to do so. Building 725’s Data Center addition was the first building certified under Sandia’s LEED campus umbrella and its first LEED-certified data center.
Sandia’s Facilities organizations oversee all design, construction, maintenance, renovation, and demolition of Sandia’s physical plant at all four of the Labs’ sites. The responsibility is vast and includes utilities and space management, as well as fire protection, emergency operations, fleet management, and waste management.
Baling waste and recyclables reduces volume and trips, saving transportation fees and generating a better price from recycling vendors. The baler’s main hydraulic ram applies up to 137 tons of force to form a bale!
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The facilities organizations at the respective Sandia sites maintain
• more than 6,000,000 gross square feet in New Mexico,
• more than 891,000 gross square feet in California,
• more than 121,000 gross square feet at Tonopah Test Range, and
• nearly 50,000 gross square feet at the Kauai Test Facility.
Something always needs replacing, upgrading, fixing, fastening, or renovating. Roofs, for example, require repairs and periodic replacement. In fiscal years 2017 through 2019, Sandia undertook more than 50 roofing projects at the New Mexico site alone.
Sandia handles approximately 1.5 million pounds of waste and 1.3 million pounds of recyclable materials annually. That handling is done at the Solid Waste Collection & Recycling Center, where
• solid waste and recyclables are screened for prohibited materials,
• solid waste is baled, stored, and shipped to an approved landfill, and
• recyclables are baled, stored, and delivered to recycling facilities.
There are thirteen waste management facilities at the New Mexico site and two at the California site.