Actinide Separations Chemistry - Staff Scientist

LLNL•Livermore, CA

About The Position

We have an opening for an Actinide Separations Chemistry - Staff Scientist to perform anion exchange separations to recover actinides. You will use general wet chemistry techniques to perform aqueous solution and feed material preparations, dissolutions, anion exchange separations, and calcination of nuclear materials. The selected candidate will prepare materials in gloveboxes and other contaminated enclosures following standard operating procedures. In addition to actinide recovery, other responsibilities include waste handling, scientific equipment maintenance, installation, upgrade, and repair. Extensive on-the-job training will be provided for fissile material handling. This position is in the Chemistry of Nuclear Materials group within the Materials Science Division. The selected candidate will support the Superblock within Strategic Deterrence. This position will be filled at either the SES.1 or SES.2 level, depending on qualifications. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if you are selected at the higher level.

Requirements

Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship
B.S. in radiochemistry, chemistry, inorganic chemistry or closely related field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience
Broad understanding of ion exchange chromatography and its applications and limitations
Detail-oriented nature required to work deliberately in a highly regulated nuclear facility while complying with numerous safety and security regulations
Ability to work independently, as well as a part of a team
Ability to balance workload according to organizational priorities, solve problems, and complete projects on time
Ability to provide status updates to management through clear verbal and written communication
Sufficient interpersonal skills necessary to interact with a diverse set of scientists, engineers, and other technical and administrative staff within a collaborative research environment
M.S. in radiochemistry, chemistry, inorganic chemistry or closely related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience
Experience with anion exchange chromatography, UV-Vis, or Raman spectroscopy
Experience working in a highly regulated laboratory environment

Responsibilities

Conduct actinide material preparations using prescribed standard operation procedures
Perform material dissolution and/or digestions and large anion exchange separations while following all necessary material accountability guidelines
Handle fissile materials and maintain related certifications
Safely work in gloveboxes and other contamination enclosures
Support the preparation of written analyses, verbal briefings and other presentations that capture and communicate scientific advancements
Prepare waste generated from aqueous processing for disposal
Perform scientific equipment maintenance, troubleshooting, and necessary repairs
Contribute to the fulfillment of technical projects and organizational objectives
Function as a dependable and proactive member of a team
Perform other duties as assigned
Conduct moderately complex to complex separations applying fundamental understanding of nuclear materials
Drive continuous improvement of existing aqueous recovery processes and procedures; apply lessons learned to future aqueous batches