Associate Nuclear Engineer

Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Oak Ridge, Northern (TN, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Retirement Plan

Health Savings Accounts

Wellness Programs

Job summary

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks an Associate Nuclear Engineer to join the Incident Modeling and Computational Sciences (IMCS) Group within the National Security Sciences Directorate. The role involves collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to develop models for nuclear facility incident analyses, weapon effects, and radiological consequence management.

The successful candidate will build and execute advanced reactor physics and radiation transport models, quantify uncertainties,

Qualifications

• PhD in nuclear engineering, nuclear science, or related field or MS with 2+ years experience or BS with 4+ years experience.
• Experience building and interpreting reactor physics, depletion, or radiation transport models using SCALE, MCNP, OpenMC, or Serpent.
• Knowledge of nuclear fuel cycle, reactor operation, used nuclear fuel, criticality safety, and radiation shielding.
• Experience scripting in Python to automate model construction, execution, and post-processing of results.
• Strong written and oral communication skills for presenting results.

Responsibilities

• Apply reactor physics, depletion, criticality safety, and radiation transport modeling to characterize nuclear fuel cycle activities and materials.
• Build and run computational models using SCALE, MCNP, OpenMC, and Serpent on HPC systems.
• Quantify uncertainty and modeling bias in results.
• Establish and document defensible analysis methods and best practices.
• Communicate findings through reports, publications, and sponsor briefings.

Skills

Python scripting

Excellent communication

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Education

PhD in Nuclear Engineering

MS in Nuclear Engineering

BS in Nuclear Engineering

Tools

SCALE

MCNP

OpenMC

Serpent

AMPX

NJOY

SLURM

PBS

Job description

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We are seeking an Associate Nuclear Engineer to join the Incident Modeling and Computational Sciences (IMCS) Group in the National Security Sciences Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). IMCS develops and maintains state-of-the-art modeling and simulation tools supporting nuclear facility incident analyses, nuclear weapon effects, radiological consequence management, and other needs for DOE, DOW, and DHS sponsors.

This is an early-career position intended for a candidate who will work alongside and learn from experienced staff while independently executing assigned technical analyses. The successful candidate will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of nuclear engineers, physicists, and computational scientists, and will grow into a principal contributor on the group’s modeling and simulation portfolio.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Apply reactor physics, depletion, criticality safety, and radiation transport modeling and simulation to characterize nuclear fuel cycle activities and materials, with particular emphasis on advanced and small modular reactors and the used nuclear fuel they produce.
• You will build and execute computational models using tools such as SCALE, MCNP, OpenMC, and Serpent on high-performance computing platforms
• Quantify uncertainty and modeling bias in calculated results
• Establish and document defensible analysis methods and best practices
• Communicate findings through technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and briefings for federal sponsors.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in nuclear engineering, nuclear science, or a related technical field; or an MS in one of these fields with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience; or a BS in one of these fields with a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience. A combination of education and experience may also be considered.
• Demonstrated experience building, executing, and interpreting reactor physics, depletion, or radiation transport models using at least one production-quality code such as SCALE, MCNP, OpenMC, or Serpent.
• Working knowledge of the nuclear fuel cycle, including reactor operation, used nuclear fuel characterization, and the fundamentals of criticality safety and radiation shielding.
• Experience scripting in Python, or a comparable language, to automate model construction, execution, and post-processing of simulation results.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to present technical results to both technical peers and sponsor audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience modeling advanced or small modular reactors and their fuel cycles, such as TRISO-fueled pebble bed or prismatic high-temperature reactors, sodium fast reactors, or molten salt reactors.
• Experience characterizing used nuclear fuel for storage and transportation applications, including criticality safety, burnup credit, source term generation, and dose rate compliance.
• Experience with uncertainty quantification, sensitivity analysis, parametric studies, and the quantification of modeling bias in simulation results.
• Experience executing large simulation campaigns on high-performance computing resources using job schedulers such as SLURM or PBS.
• Familiarity with nuclear data processing and multigroup cross-section generation tools such as AMPX or NJOY.
• Experience applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, or surrogate modeling methods to nuclear engineering or fuel cycle problems.
• A record of peer-reviewed journal publications and conference presentations in reactor physics, fuel cycle analysis, or used nuclear fuel characterization.
• Familiarity with nuclear nonproliferation, international safeguards, material attractiveness, or proliferation and terrorism risk assessment concepts.
• Experience developing technical products and briefings for U.S. government sponsors.
• An ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever-changing needs.

Special Requirements:

• Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements: Q Clearance with SCI: This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance from the Department of Energy. As such, this position is a Workplace Substance Abuse (WSAP) testing designated position. WSAP positions require passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program. In addition, due the SCI, you may also be subject to random polygraph testing.
• Visa sponsorship: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract andretainindividuals whodemonstrateexceptional work behaviors. The laboratoryprovidesa range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

• Prescription Drug Plan
• Dental Plan
• Vision Plan
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Contributory Pension Plan
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Generous Vacation and Holidays
• Parental Leave
• Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• Wellness Programs
• Educational Assistance
• Relocation Assistance
• Employee Discounts

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.