Glass Lab Technician 2

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory•Richland, WA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget. Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus. The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation’s power grid to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system; and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management. The Nuclear Sciences Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, delivers science and technology innovations for the environment, energy, and national security. At a time when complex challenges are emerging on many fronts, we address some of the most challenging national and international nuclear issues. This includes providing technological solutions that protect the public health and safety around nuclear facilities, developing durable new materials for extreme nuclear environments, innovating new nuclear processes for the safety and security of the nation, and delivering new approaches for accelerating environmental cleanup of nuclear sites. The division’s capabilities and efforts are focused on environmental management of nuclear sites, nuclear regulatory processes, national nuclear security, and advancing nuclear energy.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED and 2 years of relevant experience -OR- Technical Institute Graduate (TIG)/relevant AA degree or higher and 1 year of relevant experience

Nice To Haves

Ability and enthusiasm to learn laboratory techniques, sample preparation methods, and safe operation of laboratory equipment.
Coursework, training, or exposure to chemistry, materials science, engineering, or related scientific disciplines.
Highly adaptive to support a broad range of projects.
The ability to work well with large teams.
Self-starter able to work with limited direction to accomplish unique tasks in a laboratory environment
Capability to learn, implement, and compliantly execute the broad range of tasks.

Responsibilities

Conducts research and development activities including standard technical procedures that range from routine to specialized, under technical supervision.
Operates in laboratory workspaces equipped with fume hoods, glove boxes and with specialized instrumentation in order to conduct research.
This position will work with and assist scientists, engineers, senior technicians, and other collaborators in conducting the research and development (R&D) process in the general area of materials development and testing.
The primary functions of this position are to fabricate samples, operate analytical equipment, perform laboratory-based experiments, and provide technical coordination in support of a variety of R&D projects.
Most of the work will be in the Waste Form Development Laboratory and will involve preparation and characterization of nuclear waste forms (e.g., glasses, ceramics, cementitious materials) for immobilization of radioactive wastes.
The majority of the work is non-rad and is conducted using simulant materials.
Other activities may include work with developing and testing other waste form materials, general chemistry tasks and material corrosion evaluations using electrochemical and microscopy techniques.
The staff member will conduct tests, generate records, and reduce/evaluate data as appropriate for use by others.
The work includes following procedures for operating test systems on the bench-top and in laboratory fume hoods involving hazardous and radioactive material as well as toxic and flammable gases and liquids at high temperatures (≥1000 °C) and pressures.
The work also includes following procedures to provide a high level of quality assurance (QA), which requires that accurate records be kept and maintained and that the laboratory and QA procedures are followed precisely.
The technician position provides the opportunity to work on a wide and diverse list of tasks and projects, offering a variety of new challenges as the priorities, customers, and workscopes change with time.
The successful candidate will be an integral member of an inter-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians to primarily test various nuclear waste form materials (e.g., cements, glass, ceramics) or in the chemical treatment of nuclear wastes or other complex systems.