R&D Chemical Engineer - Nuclear Energy Safeguards & Security, Hybrid

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); Hybrid; USD 102,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Relocation assistance

Vacation benefits

Educational opportunities

Work-life balance

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM seeks an early career R&D S&E in Chemical Engineering to join a team advancing safeguards and security for nuclear facilities. You will develop models, analyze data, and collaborate across disciplines to deliver impactful technical solutions for federal sponsors.

The role supports disicplines from chemical engineering to computer science, with international collaboration and travel. LTE, temporary one-year term, onsite/offsite mix.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combined education/experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop new models, perform analyses, validate results, and document work on safety, safeguards, and security of nuclear facilities.
• Collaborate with engineers and scientists across disciplines to deliver technical products for federal sponsor needs.
• Propose and pursue new research ideas and submit proposals for related projects.
• Plan, develop, and deliver technical training to researchers, industry, and government officials.
• Characterize nuclear material inventories across the nuclear fuel cycle.
• Communicate results via technical reports, journals, and conferences.
• Travel as needed to present results, including potential international travel.

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline

Graduate degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Job description

Job ID: 699248

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Temporary

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas.

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

We are seeking an early career R&D Chemical Engineer (job title: R&D S&E, Chemical Engineering) with interdisciplinary skills (e.g., your background may include chemical engineering, nuclear engineering, and/or computer science) to join our team of scientists and engineers who are passionate about their work and develop innovative solutions to solve unique challenges in nuclear energy and security.

The selected applicant will support research projects focused on the development of new modeling and simulation techniques for safeguards and security applications in modern nuclear facilities, examining advanced safeguards approaches, and analyzing safeguards performance. You will engage with domestic and international organizations to develop tools to be used to ensure that nuclear facilities maintain security and safeguards in efficient and effective ways.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Develop new models, perform analyses, validate results, and document work on safety, safeguards, and security performance and design of nuclear reactors and facilities
• Work with engineers and scientists across multiple fields to deliver technical products in support of federal sponsor needs
• Develop creative research ideas and submit proposals for new research projects related to nuclear safety, security, and safeguards
• Plan, develop, and deliver technical training to researchers, industry, and government officials
• Characterize nuclear and radiological material inventories throughout the lifecycle of established and emerging nuclear fuel cycles
• Communicate and disseminate results to peers, customers, and partners through technical reports, journal articles, and domestic and international conference and workshop presentations
• Travel in this position, including some potential international travel, to present and discuss technical results

The selected applicant can work a combination of onsite and offsite work. The selected applicant must live within a reasonable distance for commuting to the assigned work location when necessary. This position is located in Albuquerque, NM.

Salary Range

$102,400 - $199,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire

The ideal R&D S&E, Chemical Engineering candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in Chemical Engineering or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Proven ability to work and communicate effectively in a collaborative and interdisciplinary team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced/schedule driven environment.

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• A record of publications, technical reports, or presentations
• Experience analyzing elements of the nuclear fuel cycle for safety, security, or safeguards (3S) concerns
• Experience using nuclear source term and transport codes and simulating reactor physics
• Familiarity with the field of actinide chemistry
• Experience implementing probabilistic methods, statistical analysis methods, and uncertainty quantification methods into analyses
• Experience with a programming language (e.g., Python) and version control tools (e.g., GIT)
• Experience in implementing machine learning, deep learning, anomaly detection, or advanced data analytics techniques in nuclear facility modeling
• Familiarity with nuclear material accountability in advanced reactor designs
• Knowledge of the U.S. domestic and international approaches to the control of, and accounting for, nuclear materials
• Experience in the characterization of nuclear and radiological material across the nuclear fuel cycle

About Our Team

The Nuclear Energy Fuel Cycle R&D department leads in developing, integrating, and implementing technically safe, viable, and economical solutions, R&D, and analyses for nuclear energy challenges, ranging from spent fuel management strategies to new approaches for advanced reactor physical security. We host, develop, maintain, and deploy open-source modeling tools* for material control and accounting (MC&A) by design across the nuclear fuel cycle. We leverage decades of expertise in leading systems-level analyses in the safety, economics, and viability of long-term nuclear material management strategies We identify and anticipate safeguards and security concerns for advanced nuclear facilities, leveraging innovative technology to reduce the technical, regulatory, and financial barriers for nuclear deployment We analyze and test nuclear fuel storage and transportation systems to ensure safe and secure management of spent nuclear fuel.

*Fissile Flow Facility Modeler (F3M), the Material Accountancy Performance Indicator Toolkit (MAPIT), and the Separation and Safeguards Performance Model (SSPM)

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Position Information

This Limited Term Employee (LTE) position is a temporary position for one year term, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to a maximum of seven years.

Individuals in LTE positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.