Nuclear Fuel Development Engineer

Idaho National Laboratory is hiring a Nuclear Fuel Development Engineer to work on our Nuclear Fuel Fabrication and Nuclear Material Management. Our team works a 4x10 schedule located out of our Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) with every Friday off.

This position is located at our Materials and Fuels Complex, which hosts the core of the U.S. nuclear research and development capabilities with a diverse array of facilities designed for remote work on highly irradiated fuels and materials. A new fuel idea can be designed, fabricated, tested, and analyzed at MFC to better understand the effects of irradiation. Many groups, such as universities, industry partners, other national laboratories, international research organizations, and other federal agencies are working at MFC.

The Nuclear Fuel Development Engineer contributes to nuclear fuel and materials research across the full development lifecycle, from concept and process design through fabrication, characterization, and irradiation testing. This role provides hands-on technical support to research teams while developing the expertise to take on greater independent responsibility over time.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• Support and/or conduct research, development, and analysis with nuclear fuels and materials within one or more technical areas, such as characterization, fabrication, sample preparation, instrument development, process development, and irradiation experiment design and assembly.
• Support activities including the procurement of feedstock, coordination of material movements, adherence to stringent quality and safety standards, and preparation of the fuel or experiment for insertion into the reactor.
• Develop and use processes to fabricate advanced nuclear fuels and materials experiments, applying skills across areas such as process design, procurement, synthesis, production, post-processing, and characterization.
• Follow through on basic project needs, including submission of input towards establishment of these needs, and subsequently acting on these requirements to develop and execute activities and processes resulting in high-quality deliverables.
• Document activities, coordinate material movements, and establish multi-facility process paths, ensuring quality standards are satisfied and adherence to safety protocols.
• Support principal investigators by conducting research, interpreting data, and contributing to research plans, with opportunities to take on increasing technical leadership as experience grows.
• Participate in peer reviews and contribute to the generation of reports, publications, proposals, and intellectual property.
• Support the identification of new research opportunities and contribute to proposal development, with opportunities to engage with sponsors and peers in national and international forums.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Use scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various nuclear fuel related activities.
• Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic, and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
• Ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Minimum Requirements

• Level 1: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science or a directly related engineering field from an ABET-accredited program or other related field.
• Level 2: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or a directly related engineering field from an ABET-accredited program or other related field and 2 years of experience. Master's and 0 years of experience. PhD and 0 years of experience.
• Must be a US Citizen and have the ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a DOE "L" clearance.

Ideal Candidate Possesses

• A solid foundation in the fundamental science and theories underlying nuclear fuels and materials, with the ability to apply this knowledge under the guidance of senior staff.
• Working knowledge of related scientific or technical disciplines, with the ability to learn quickly and apply new concepts to support assigned research and experiments.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a cross-functional research team.

Job Information:

• The pay range for this position is: Level 1 ($66,504 - $136,356 / Level 2 ($79,344 -$162,732). At Idaho National Laboratory compensation decisions are determined using factors such as education, relevant experience, and other credentials.
• Multi-Level: This is a multi-level posting and you will be placed at the appropriate level dependent on depth and breadth of proven experience and skills.
• TDP: This is a testing designated position; you will be required to submit to a pre-employment drug screen and periodic drug testing throughout the term of your employment.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, and work in an office and laboratory environment. The job requires hand/finger dexterity to keyboard or type, handle materials, manipulate tools, and reach with hands and arms. The job requires operation of job-related equipment and driving a vehicle. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with people is required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits and Relocation

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401(k) with a 4.2% employer contribution and up to 4.8% match (regular positions) or self-contribute access (postdoctoral positions)
• Paid time off (personal leave)
• Employee Education Program (tuition assistance for eligible positions)
• Comprehensive Relocation Package
• Benefit eligibility subject to multiple factors, including employment status and position classification.

At this time, BEA will not sponsor any H1-B visas obtained outside of the United States of America (U.S.A.), including consular visas.

INL is a science-based, applied engineering national laboratory dedicated to supporting the U.S. Department of Energy's mission in nuclear energy research, science, and national defense. With more than 6,300 scientists, researchers, and support staff, the laboratory works with national and international governments, universities and industry partners to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure.

INL Mission:

Our mission is to discover, demonstrate and secure innovative nuclear energy solutions, other clean energy options and critical infrastructure.

INL Vision:

Our vision is to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure.

Selective Service Requirements:

To be eligible for employment at INL males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered with the Selective Service System (SSS). For more information see www.sss.gov.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of INL to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

Reasonable Accommodation:

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Other Information:

When applying to positions please provide a resume and answer all questions on the following screens. Applicants, who fail to provide a resume or answer the questions, may be deemed ineligible for consideration.