Jobs › Argonne National Laboratory
Industrial Electrician: Research Facilities & Systems
Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Apply at Argonne National Laboratory
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about a time a scientist or engineer wanted something done a way you didn't think was safe or up to code. How did that go?
What they are checking: Whether they can explain code and safety limits to highly educated customers without being dismissive.
Working in a cleanroom or near an accelerator adds rules most electricians don't deal with. How do you adjust to site-specific procedures?
What they are checking: Willingness to follow strict, unfamiliar lab procedures instead of relying only on habits from other job sites.
What would you do
A researcher asks you to hook up a custom power supply for an experiment by the end of the day. What do you need to know before you touch anything?
What they are checking: Whether they gather load, voltage and hazard information first instead of rushing a temporary hookup.
You're overseeing an outside contractor and see them skip a safety step. What do you do?
What they are checking: Whether they will stop unsafe work by people they don't supervise directly, as DOE sites expect.
About the work
Walk me through how you'd safely de-energize and verify a 480V panelboard before working on it.
What they are checking: Whether they follow lockout/tagout and live-dead-live testing every time, which DOE labs treat as non-negotiable.
How do you size conductors and overcurrent protection for a new 208V circuit feeding lab equipment under the NEC?
What they are checking: Core code knowledge that decides whether an installation is safe and will pass inspection.
Tell me about a VFD you installed or troubleshot. What problem did you run into and how did you find it?
What they are checking: Hands-on experience with drives, which are common on lab motors, pumps and accelerator support equipment.
You're troubleshooting a piece of scientific equipment that keeps tripping its breaker. How do you work through it with a multimeter?
What they are checking: A logical, step-by-step diagnostic approach rather than replacing parts until something works.
What's your experience bending and running rigid, IMC and EMT conduit, and when would you pick one over another?
What they are checking: Practical installation skill and judgment about which conduit fits which environment.
Describe how you'd perform preventive maintenance on a UPS and its backup batteries.
What they are checking: Whether they know the hazards of battery systems and how to keep critical research loads protected.
Practice this interview out loud.
Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Argonne National Laboratory from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.
Practice this out loudThe full job description
As published by Argonne National Laboratory.