Job Description
The Senior Research Engineer-Nuclear Fuel Cycle Safety and Facilities is part of the CRESP center and Nuclear Environmental Engineering Research Group within the Civil Engineering Department in the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University. This key individual contributor is responsible for research related to the following areas: (1) investigating process optimization to achieve positive community engagement regarding siting of nuclear fuel cycle facilities, including new reactors and storage or disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and other nuclear waste streams; (2) safety analysis and performance characterization of nuclear fuel cycle facilities, including advanced nuclear fission reactors and proposed fusion test facilities and fusion power plants; (3) risk-informed decision-making processes that can be integrated into existing U.S. DOE design and safety analysis frameworks; and, (4) development of professional continuing education class materials related to advanced nuclear fuel cycles and facilities, nuclear safety analyses, and, nuclear facilities siting. The position will be supported by external research funds provided through CRESP, the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
• Serve project researcher to aggregate, analyze, and synthesize data regarding public sentiments supporting engagements performed as part of siting, licensing and operation of existing commercial independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSIs) to inform future siting efforts for similar facilities
• Serve project researcher to engage communities surrounding DOE sites currently storing defense- and research-related UNF to foster mutual learning on best and worst practices in
community and Tribal participation in risk-informed decision-making and to develop and test new decision-making methods based on this learning • Develop and/or review advanced reactor and fuel cycle facilities system safety analyses created using process hazards analysis (PHA) methods
Position Description
• Assisting in the development of methodologies for and reviewing the results of applying model-based systems engineering methods to fuel cycle facilities and advanced reactor design.
• Develop guidance for U.S. DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) regarding the need to integrate risk-informed methods into safety and design decision-making.
• Coordinate meetings and strategies between project partners,
• organize public engagements, reporting project progress to DOE, technically evaluating project deliverables
• Assist in sociodemographic data mapping, creating resources for knowledge sharing, deliberation and values assessment, and working with communities to develop and test novel community-scale decision-making methods
• Performing case studies on relevant facilities using the established methodology.
• Developing course materials for continuing professional education related to advanced nuclear fuel cycle facilities, nuclear safety systems, and nuclear facilities siting.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory responsibility and reports administratively and functionally to the Principal Investigator.
Education and Certifications:
• PhD in science or engineering is strongly necessary.
Experience and Skills:
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in nuclear safety analysis and nuclear fuel cycle facilities is necessary, including demonstration of project and group leadership.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills working with diverse individuals and strong written and oral communication skills are necessary.
