Experimental Facility Operator

Argonne National Laboratory•Lemont, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Nuclear Science and Engineering Division (NSE) at Argonne National Laboratory is looking for an Experimental Facility Operator. For this position we are seeking an entry level or near entry level electrical and/or mechanically inclined equipment operators to join our multi-disciplinary team that includes design engineers, test engineers, fluids and thermal researchers, and experienced technicians. The selected individual will, under supervision, design, build, test, operate and trouble-shoot cutting-edge experimental systems and sub-systems with a primary focus on the operations and maintenance of an intermediate-scale liquid metal technology facility called the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) and other experimental systems. METL is an intermediate-scale liquid metal experimental facility whose purpose is to provide purified R-grade sodium to various experimental test vessels to test components that are required to operate in a prototypic advanced reactor environment. The METL facility will provide its services to researchers located at Argonne, in the U.S. and internationally.

Requirements

Some experience with experimental design and operation including instrumentation (thermocouples, pressure transmitters, flow meters, level, etc.) specification, installation and operation.
Some familiarity with industry standards and practices for electrical and/or mechanical systems.
Knowledge of mechanical equipment (motors, pulleys, gears, pumps, valves, etc.), thermal effects on materials and components (expansion, evaporation, etc.), and operation of a personal computer.
Must maintain knowledge and awareness of Laboratory policies and procedures.
Skilled in oral and written communication.
Ability to model Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.

Nice To Haves

Liquid metal technology expertise is desirable, but not essential. You will be trained on handling liquid metals.
Knowledge of metallurgy, heat transfer and fluid mechanics is desirable.
Some LabVIEW/Eurotherm/industrial control experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

With limited supervision, follow written procedures to operate and maintain the METL facility and small and intermediate-scale liquid metal technology facilities.
Provide technical support for experimental and programmatic work in the areas of mechanical, electromechanical, optical, fluid, controls, and electrical systems.
Support the research needs of the R&D community who will be installing and testing components in METL.
With limited supervision, develop, fabricate, troubleshoot, repair, calibrate, purchase, and maintain a variety of complex electronic and mechanical apparatus, plant/process equipment, and subsystems that support the METL facility and the experiments conducted in that facility.
With supervision, assist in the design and test electronic systems which typically consist of power supplies and controllers, data logging hardware, and equipment for temperature and valve control.