Nuclear Engineer 3

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory • Seattle, OH

8h

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 National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science-based, mission-focused solutions to take on complex, real-world threats to our nation and the world.
The Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Technologies Division, within the National Security Directorate, works across fundamental science, research and development, and operations to counter emerging national security threats. We focus on discovering signatures and understanding threats by creating materials, methods, and technologies to detect and analyze them. Our researchers deliver the solutions necessary for addressing complex mission challenges, such as explosives detection, biological threat detection, chemical and nuclear forensics, and special nuclear materials.
This position is responsible for interfacing with internal customers, presenting research results to the technical community, planning work, developing teams, executing work scope, and preparing quality deliverables on time. The successful candidate will also be expected to work effectively with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, be self-motivated, and have excellent communication skills. It is essential that they have ability to multitask and work both independently and in a team environment. This position will be expected to work with non-sensitive, sensitive, and classified information as appropriate for individual projects. The person in this position must recognize and accept that they may at times be working in technical areas associated with topics related to the National Security of the United States. Furthermore, the role may involve interactions with legal and regulatory bodies, and as such, the candidate must be able to navigate and collaborate with these groups effectively.

Requirements

• BS/BA and 5+ years of relevant experience -OR-
• MS/MA and 3+ years of relevant experience -OR-
• PhD with 1+ year of relevant experience
• U.S. Citizenship
• Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
• All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, which means that the applicant selected for hire is subject to pre-employment drug testing, and post-employment random drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).
• Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited engineering program, preferably Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, or related discipline.
• Prior professional experience working in or with nuclear industry (startup companies preferred).
• Demonstrated success working on research and development (R&D) projects.
• Familiar with nuclear, materials and mechanical engineering as it pertains to radioisotope power systems, either by degree, coursework, or professional work.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, minimum viable product (MVP), or similar methodologies.
• Demonstrates the ability to thrive in a multidisciplinary environment and willingness to learn skills not specific to their engineering focus.
• The ideal candidate is safety-oriented, possesses good written and oral communication skills, and has demonstrated an ability to collaborate effectively. Maintain effective working relationships with other project engineers, project managers, and stakeholders.
• Preferred candidates will have a strong track record of demonstrating initiative, problem-solving, independent execution of routine research tasks, and ability to learn new concepts and research.

Responsibilities

• Designs, develops, and analyzes components utilized in nuclear applications and nuclear non-proliferation, such as reactor fuel, reactor cores, radiation shielding, and instrumentation.
• Researches and develops analytical methods and technologies supporting all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, including R&D activities related to storage, transportation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and long-term performance of waste forms.
• Supports nuclear regulatory work, risk-informed nuclear regulatory analysis, and probabilistic risk analysis.
• Addresses facility and process safety needs, principally in the area of nuclear-related construction, operation, and decommissioning.
• Development and application of radioactive materials, radioactive isotopes, and radiation-generating devices.
• Studies the effects of interactions of radiation with materials, including biological effects.
• Researches, evaluates, and controls health hazards to permit the safe use of ionizing radiation. Investigates principles by which radiation interacts with matter and living systems.
• Studies environmental levels of radioactivity and the effects of radiation on biological systems on Earth and in space. Applies knowledge of radiation physics, health physics, biology, instrumentation, and computational modeling in laboratory and field settings to ensure that radiation exposure to researchers, students, industrial workers, patients, and the public is minimized and in compliance with regulations.

Benefits

• Employees and their families are offered medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, robust telehealth care options, several mental health benefits, free wellness coaching, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, basic life insurance, disability insurance, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, tuition assistance, relocation, backup childcare, legal benefits, supplemental parental bonding leave, surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support.
• Employees are automatically enrolled in our company-funded pension plan and may enroll in our 401 (k) savings plan with company match.
• Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year and may receive ten paid holidays per year.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree