Post Doctorate RA – National Technical Nuclear Forensics Fellowship (Job # 302819)
Job description
This postdoctoral position is funded, in part, by the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center, under the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office of the Department of Homeland Security. Roughly 50% of the candidate’s time, he / she will be expected to help lead an effort to assemble and test a new hybrid mass spectrometer designed for ultra-fast and sensitive actinide isotope measurements. The other 50% of the candidate’s time will be spent supporting a variety of on-going research and development projects related to nuclear material analysis and nuclear forensics signature discovery. Targeted opportunities for the candidate include (but are not limited to):
• The development of thermodynamic, kinetic, and reactive transport models for simulating natural and engineered systems related to the nuclear fuel cycle.
• The design and operation of bench-scale and pilot-scale research and development activities related to the replication of particular historic flowsheets of importance within the nuclear fuel cycle.
• The study of novel optical (fluorescence, Raman, IR, and UV-Vis) characterization of actinide solid phases.
• The application of Mössbauer spectroscopy to the analysis of actinides.
• The development of novel and rapid on-line pre-separation techniques for destructive analysis.
• The development and testing of new field deployable nuclear detection systems for marine environments.
In addition, the candidate will be encouraged to propose, plan and carryout his/her own related research.
Desired Skills and Experience
Qualifications
Position requires the ability to obtain a Q security clearance, US citizenship is required.
Candidates must have a strong background in their major field of study and an interest to work closely as part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers targeting applied problems of importance to national security. Laboratory experience working with radionuclides, a strong background in analytical chemistry or material analysis, and thermodynamic modeling expertise are a plus. Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential.
Preferred Education/Credential
Ph.D. in chemistry, nuclear chemistry, chemical engineering, radiochemistry, or related field.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. All staff at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory must be able to demonstrate the legal right to work in the United States.
Other Information
This position requires the ability to obtain a federal security clearance in a timely manner. Which requires:
* US Citizenship
* Background Investigation: Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
* Drug Testing: All Security Clearance (L or Q) positions will be considered by the Department of Energy to be Testing Designated Positions which means that they are subject to applicant, random, and for cause drug testing. In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).
Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy until non-use of illegal drugs for 12 consecutive months can be demonstrated.
About this company
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory, operated for DOE’s Office of Science by Battelle.
At PNNL, interdisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers address many of America’s most pressing challenges in energy, the environment, and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Our science and technology is strategically focused on inspiring and enabling the world to live prosperously, safely, and securely.
PNNL’s main campus is in Richland, Wash., where the majority of the Laboratory’s 4,700 staff work under an annual operating budget of nearly $1 billion. This campus includes unique laboratories and specialized equipment, as well as the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science national scientific user facility. In addition to the Richland campus, we operate a marine research facility in Sequim, Washington; and satellite offices in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C.
Battelle – the world’s largest independent scientific research and technology development organization – has operated PNNL for DOE and its predecessors since 1965. To learn more, see our video, Advancing Transformational Science and Technology at http://bit.ly/10CJ9jd. Thank you for visiting our web site. If you have questions or comments, please contact us at http://www.pnnl.gov/contacts/.