Job Description

The Savannah River National Laboratory is seeking an experienced Plutonium Scientist to lead research & development activities related to the purification, processing, and characterization of actinide metals, and assist in the business growth of the division. In this role, the candidate may oversee activities focused on elucidating the impact of processing conditions and aging on material properties/performance, and/or design and testing of various prototype systems to optimize processing of plutonium metal in support of defense programs.

In these activities the candidate will work collaboratively as part of a small high-performance team, demonstrate effective communication with others, and apply technical expertise in his/her field of specialization to solve complex scientific and engineering problems. A successful candidate will also be able to assist in project planning/execution, mentor junior scientists, and have a demonstrated history of securing funding, preparing technical documents, and interfacing with sponsors.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include:

1. Ensure work is performed safely, responsibly, securely, and in accordance with laboratory principles, policies, and procedures.
2. Lead and partner on proposal teams, as well as manage technical and programmatic aspects of successfully won projects.
3. Lead R&D activities to deliver high-quality creative and innovative solutions to complex scientific and engineering problems.
4. Contribute to intellectual property by developing technical reports, publications, and patents.
5. Mentor junior scientists and engineers, postdoctoral researchers, and student interns.
6. Maintain a national presence at technical meetings, both internal to DOE and through professional organizations.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• M.S. or PhD in science or engineering with 10 or more years of experience in materials research.
• Established research record in a relevant field as evidenced by a publication record of technical reports, peer -reviewed articles, presentations, and/or granted patents.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance for which, U.S. citizenship is legally required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• An advanced degree in metallurgy, material science & engineering, chemistry, or related field with relevant research or industrial laboratory experience.
• Experience interfacing with defense program sponsors.
• Experience with handling, purifying, processing, and/or characterizing plutonium metal.
• Experience with modelling, simulation, machine learning, and/or artificial intelligence.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully leading multi-disciplinary research teams in the laboratory and/or field.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships across multiple organizations/agencies and leveraging those relationships to further group research goals and increase business volume.

About the Team

Weapons Production Technology (WPT) is a world leader in tritium fuel cycles with a strong industrial partnership, including most private companies working on fusion research. WPT also leads the Tokomak Exhaust System Development Project for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The staff of 300 in this vibrant organization are leading the frontiers of tritium effects on materials, hydrogen science, fusion related research, plutonium metallurgy, sensing and metrology, advanced engineering, and advanced manufacturing.