Part-time Advanced Nuclear Fuels Engineer

Amentum•Huntsville, AL

40d•Remote

About The Position

This position is part of the Amentum support to the NASA EM32 Advanced Metals Processing & Technologies Team under the Engineering Services and Science Capability Augmentation (ESSCA) contract to the NASA MSFC Engineering Directorate. The following position involves nuclear fuel expertise to support NASA's Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP) Project. The opening emphasizes on consulting in regard to research, design, and testing of materials of interest at elevated temperatures and under a hot hydrogen environment. Position is part-time and has the option of being remote.

Requirements

Master's degree in materials science, nuclear engineering, health physics, or closely related field (recent grads are welcome to apply). Typically, educational requirements are the equivalent of a BS with at least 5 years' experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with high temperature furnaces.
Experience with advanced nuclear fuels and high temperature materials (carbide materials, ultra-high temperature-ceramics).
Previous experience handling radiological materials (uranium).
Previous internship experience at NASA centers.
Previous experience with U.S. Department of Energy Laboratories (Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, etc.).
Metallographic sample preparation.
Materials characterization (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy).
Develop and execute design of experiments.
NRC regulations
Ability to write proposals and manuscripts.

Responsibilities

Offers expertise in advanced nuclear fuels for space reactors, including addressing technology gaps and paths forward for NASA Space Nuclear Propulsion.
Support ongoing growth of radiological labs with respect to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and MSFC Radiation Safety Officer. This involves health physics expertise to comply with federal radiological regulations.
Works with other researchers to create fuel development plans and execute miscellaneous research activities with other collaborators from DOE, private sector, and academia.
Supports synthesis of materials of interest for space nuclear propulsion including nuclear fuels, refractory metals, and ceramic materials.
Presents research findings including scientific data to peers, managers, and outside collaborators.
Ability to interact with senior level management and non-technical audiences.
Ability to write research plans, technical reports, and research proposals to increase collaborations internally, with private sector, and academia.