Senior Radioemission Spectroscopist

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory•Richland, WA

27d•$148,000 - $233,900•Onsite

About The Position

The Nuclear Chemistry & Engineering (NCE) Group supports Hanford Site cleanup, river corridor protection, nuclear materials stewardship, non-proliferation missions, the nuclear fuel life cycle, national security missions, and energy production, and is engaged in expanding the beneficial use of nuclear materials and radionuclides. Through high-quality fundamental and applied science and strong academic collaborations, we are fostering a renewed focus on radiochemistry and irradiated materials research for providing solutions in nuclear nonproliferation, environmental cleanup and protection, advanced nuclear energy, and for use in medicine and industry. The NCE group is seeking a senior physicist with expertise in radioemission spectroscopy (alpha, beta and gamma detection and quantitation) to oversee methods, tools, work execution and continuous improvement efforts. Responsibilities and skills include reactor dosimetry measurements such as those regularly conducted for HFIR, ATR, and NCERC experiments; analyzing complex low-activity and high-activity samples in support of the International Monitoring System’s Radiation Laboratory and nuclear forensics; support fundamental nuclear data measurements probing neutron induced fission yields of actinides; develop algorithms and software for automated analysis of advanced radio-emission spectroscopy systems; and design and build detector arrays for improved detection sensitivities. The candidate should have a strong working knowledge of radiation transport, C++/Python, and CERN’s ROOT & GEANT4 data analysis & simulation frameworks; these skills will be leveraged to test developed analysis tools against complex bulk fission product spectra acquired using continuous, prompt, and cyclic neutron activation techniques. The candidate will be expected to publish fundamental nuclear data and support open-source development of advanced radio-emission spectroscopy instrumentation & methods. The candidate will be expected to perform counting experiments, simulated validation, and analysis on acquired data. Responsibilities for this position include: Technical Leadership: Expert in at least one S&E domain and the ability to connect multiple domains. Sought after within PNNL for technical leadership to set technical direction Organizational Leadership: Using established cross organizational network, external peers, and clients to further outcomes. Leading organizational teams that proactively identify and promote new capabilities and advance the strategy. Mentoring staff and peers across the organization and leading through operational assignments. Project Execution: Selects and develops technical approaches to complex challenges. Principal investigator or co-PI on multiple or significantly complex, and/or high-risk projects or tasks and/or involving multiple tasks, capabilities, and organizations. Develops, and realizes new significant project opportunities, leading the development of technical sections of large proposals. Takes lead in scope, schedule, and budget for projects or large tasks. Demonstrates ability to acquire funding for self and task level teams. Serves as a role model for quality, safety, and security, contributing to operational improvement activities. Impact: Holds leadership role in professional community. Organizes and chairs sessions at national meetings of professional societies. Lead author or developer on a significant number of technical products. Recognized by sponsors and collaborators for delivery on important programmatic elements. The selected candidate could also be eligible to serve as the Lead for the Analytical Services Organization (ASO). The ASO is a comprehensive and integrated radioanalytical capability essential to enabling primary research mission projects that require support within the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) and across the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The role of the ASO Lead is to manage and optimize a matrixed, cross-divisional infrastructure of technical and administrative functions required to support sample analysis and reporting, quality control, billing, and delivery on time and budget.

Requirements

BS/BA and 7+ years of relevant work experience -OR- MS/MA and 5+ years of relevant work experience -OR- PhD with 3+ year of relevant experience
Expertise in radioemission spectroscopy (alpha, beta and gamma detection and quantitation)
Strong working knowledge of radiation transport
Proficiency in C++/Python
Experience with CERN’s ROOT & GEANT4 data analysis & simulation frameworks
Ability to achieve Radiological Worker 2 qualification
U.S. Citizenship
Ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance
Ability 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).

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. in Nuclear Science, Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or closely related field.
Minimum of 5 or more years' experience in alpha, beta, and gamma spectroscopy and count-room operations and management.
Minimum of 5 years of experience with small scale software development and using software management version-tracking tools like GIT.
Knowledge of MCNP in addition to CERN’s resources is preferred.
Strong knowledge of counting statistics. A combination of counting statistics and information theory is preferred.
Working knowledge of Standard Methods, ASME, Industrial Hygiene, EPA SW-846 RCRA Methods, and air chemistry methods.
Experience working to HASQARD, Rev. 4, ASME-NQA-2008/2009 and addendum and ISO/IEC 17025:2005 or 2017 quality assurance programs.
Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

Reactor dosimetry measurements such as those regularly conducted for HFIR, ATR, and NCERC experiments
Analyzing complex low-activity and high-activity samples in support of the International Monitoring System’s Radiation Laboratory and nuclear forensics
Support fundamental nuclear data measurements probing neutron induced fission yields of actinides
Develop algorithms and software for automated analysis of advanced radio-emission spectroscopy systems
Design and build detector arrays for improved detection sensitivities
Test developed analysis tools against complex bulk fission product spectra acquired using continuous, prompt, and cyclic neutron activation techniques
Publish fundamental nuclear data and support open-source development of advanced radio-emission spectroscopy instrumentation & methods
Perform counting experiments, simulated validation, and analysis on acquired data
Technical Leadership: Expert in at least one S&E domain and the ability to connect multiple domains.
Sought after within PNNL for technical leadership to set technical direction
Organizational Leadership: Using established cross organizational network, external peers, and clients to further outcomes.
Leading organizational teams that proactively identify and promote new capabilities and advance the strategy.
Mentoring staff and peers across the organization and leading through operational assignments.
Project Execution: Selects and develops technical approaches to complex challenges.
Principal investigator or co-PI on multiple or significantly complex, and/or high-risk projects or tasks and/or involving multiple tasks, capabilities, and organizations.
Develops, and realizes new significant project opportunities, leading the development of technical sections of large proposals.
Takes lead in scope, schedule, and budget for projects or large tasks.
Demonstrates ability to acquire funding for self and task level teams.
Serves as a role model for quality, safety, and security, contributing to operational improvement activities.
Impact: Holds leadership role in professional community.
Organizes and chairs sessions at national meetings of professional societies.
Lead author or developer on a significant number of technical products.
Recognized by sponsors and collaborators for delivery on important programmatic elements.
Manage and optimize a matrixed, cross-divisional infrastructure of technical and administrative functions required to support sample analysis and reporting, quality control, billing, and delivery on time and budget.