Co-Op Internship (CBC/WSU-TC)

Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C); Richland (WA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 49,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & welfare wage adder

Job summary

Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) offers a Co-op Program for students to gain hands-on experience in fields related to the cleanup mission at the Hanford Site. Opportunities may support project operations and project support across disciplines such as engineering, safety, and finance.

Interns work with TOC Project Managers, Work Area Managers, and safety teams, gaining exposure to real-world tasks while maintaining full-time student status during the prior academic terms.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a college degree program related to H2C work.
• Full-time student status required for the three quarters or two semesters prior to start.
• Minimum overall GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support to H2C Organizations including Production Operations, SST Retrievals and Tank Farm Projects.
• Support project integration with TOC Project Manager and Work Area Managers.
• Assist Radiological Controls, Safety, Environmental and GAAP-aligned financial processes.

Education

Enrolled in a degree program at WSU-TC or CBC

Full-time student (12+ credit hours)

Minimum GPA 2.5 (on 4.0 scale)

Job description

Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) delivers exceptional performance in safely removing, treating, and disposing of tank waste. H2C leads the nation’s largest and most complex radioactive waste cleanup, including closure of the legacy waste tanks at Hanford containing 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste.

Joining H2C means becoming part of a team dedicated to creating "The Solution Today for a Better Tomorrow." At H2C, our culture is deeply rooted in our Vision, Mission, Values, and Behaviors, which guide our efforts on the Hanford Site and within our communities. Our vision to tackle the Department of Energy's largest environmental challenge reflects our commitment to leaving a positive legacy for future generations. We strive to deliver exceptional performance in safely removing, treating, and disposing of tank waste. Our values emphasize living safely, acting with integrity, and working collaboratively as a team. We encourage innovation, personal accountability, and continuous improvement, fostering an environment where everyone is empowered to contribute to our mission and celebrate our achievements. By embracing these principles, you will be part of a forward-thinking organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact today and for the future.

The Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) Co-op Program provides opportunities for students to gain hands‑on work experience in their area of study or interest. The blend of higher learning and real‑world practice with H2C will prepare students to be job‑ready upon graduation. Opportunities may be available to support project operations and project support to include the following fields of practice:

Providing engineering support to various H2C Organizations including Production Operations, Single Shell Tank (SST) Retrievals and Tank Farm Projects (TFP). Ensures proper implementation of engineering requirements from the H2C functional Engineering organization. Comply with Safety Basis, Environmental and Operational requirements.

Program Integration:

Provides support to the TOC Project Manager and the Work Area Managers in the coordination and integration of project and interface functions and resources. The organization maintains authority for assigned program requirements, provides independent assessment of effective program implementation, and supplies qualified experts directly to the projects to assure that project work is safely and compliantly conducted in an efficient manner.

Radiological Controls (RadCon):

Responsible for the company‑wide Radiological Control program, including safety related performance measures and indicators, policies and procedures, radiation protection program, ALARA program and reporting, ionizing radiation dosimetry and instrumentation services, and RadCon field support.

Finance:

Processes, manages and maintains financials transactions and reporting for the tank operations contract in accordance with all applicable policies, procedures and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

ConOps and Human Performance Improvement (HPI):

Uses a systematic approach to improve productivity and competence for realizing opportunities related to the performance of people. Reducing human error and managing controls/defenses while maintaining a high level of Situational Awareness will ultimately lead to zero events or mitigate the impact, should an error occur.

Interpreting authority for industrial safety, occupational medicine, fire protection, case management, and other safety and health programs.

Security & Emergency Services:

Ensuring compliance with safeguards/security requirements and emergency preparedness. In addition, the team trains an Emergency Response Organization at each facility to respond to emergency events that could occur. They develop and maintain emergency response procedures, plans, hazard assessments, and conduct Emergency Preparedness drills to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and to ensure the emergency readiness of each facility.

Required Qualifications

• At least 18 years of age
• Enrolled in a degree program at either Washington State University Tri-Cities (WSU-TC) or Columbia Basin College (CBC) that relates to H2C work, with emphasis in specific disciplines that supports the cleanup mission and is relevant to the field of study
• Enrolled as a full‑time student (12+ credit hours) during the three quarters or two semesters immediately preceding the start of the internship. Full‑time status is determined by the requirements of the school.
• Minimum overall GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)

Desired Qualifications

• 3.0 GPA
• Interns typically work approximately 20 hours per week during the academic year, with the flexibility to increase to up to 40 hours per week during designated breaks

Hourly Rate/Range:

• Freshman - $19.090
• Sophomore - $23.380 to $28.330
• Junior - $25.775 to $29.977
• Senior - $30.415 to $35.373

H2C considers a candidate's discipline of study as it relates to the position being filled and current academic standing when determining hiring rate. Note a candidate's prior salary history will not be taken into consideration.

In accordance with the Service Contract Act, this position is also eligible for the health & welfare wage adder of up to $5.09 per hour.