Plutonium Pyrochemist - Staff Scientist

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact advancing science and technology to strengthen U.S. security and promote global stability. 

Our mission spans four critical national security areas nuclear deterrence, threat preparedness, energy security, and multi-domain defense empowering teams to take on the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow. With a culture built on innovation and operational excellence, LLNL is a place where your expertise can make a real impact.

Job Description

We have an opening for a Plutonium Pyrochemist to support plutonium chemistry and materials science activities within the Superblock Program. This position will be filled at either the SES.1 or SES.2 level, depending on qualifications and experience. You will work onsite as a fissile material handler, performing hands-on processing and recovery of plutonium using advanced pyrochemical techniques. The role involves operating and maintaining specialized equipment, performing process operations in gloveboxes, and supporting work planning and control activities for new or modified operations.

This position is in the Chemistry of Nuclear Materials Group within the Materials Science Division and supports the Superblock Program within Strategic Deterrence.

You Will

• Become qualified as a Fissile Material Handler and perform work in gloveboxes and contamination enclosures while strictly adhering to safety and security requirements.
• Execute Direct Oxide Reduction (DOR), Electrorefining (ER), Process Salt Cleanup, Metal Alloying, and Salt Production operations under prescribed procedures.
• Operate, maintain, and oversee repair of process equipment, including: resistance and induction furnaces, vacuum systems, electrical power supplies.
• Support nuclear materials inventory management.
• Assist in the development and continuous improvement of operating procedures for plutonium pyrochemical processes and equipment.
• Support operations through the work planning and control process, including hazard identification, control implementation, and post-job feedback.
• Contribute to the fulfillment of technical project and program objectives and function as a dependable member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional job responsibilities ,at theSES.2 Level

• Conduct moderately complex to complex pyrochemical separations and processing, applying fundamental understanding of nuclear materials.
• Drive continuous improvement of existing pyrochemical recovery processes and procedures; apply lessons learned to future batches.
• Independently develop and refine methods for plutonium synthesis, alloying, and sample preparation.
• Provide technical guidance to team members and contribute to the development of innovative approaches and solutions.
• Prepare and deliver written analyses, verbal briefings, and technical presentations capturing and communicating scientific advancements.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship.
• B.S. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a closely related engineering or science field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Ability to become a fissile material handler, including willingness to work with radioactive materials in gloveboxes, contamination enclosures, or respirators.
• Demonstrated understanding of fundamental concepts of chemistry and/or materials processing and the ability to apply this knowledge to hands-on laboratory work.
• Detail-oriented nature required to work deliberately in a highly regulated nuclear facility while complying with numerous safety, security, and quality requirements.
• Demonstrated mechanical aptitude or experience with laboratory/industrial equipment, including setup, operation, basic troubleshooting, and maintenance.
• Ability to balance workload according to program priorities, solve practical problems, and complete tasks on time with minimal oversight once trained.
• Sufficient  verbal, written, and interpersonal skills to document work, provide status updates, and collaborate effectively with a multidisciplinary team.

Additional job qualifications, at the SES.2 level

• M.S. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a closely related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with high temperature metallurgical, electrochemical, and other pyrochemical processing techniques.
• Experience working in a highly regulated laboratory environment.
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