Postdoctoral Research Associate - Fuel Cycle Chemist

Requisition Id 13316 

Overview:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Fuel Cycle Chemical Technology (FCCT) Research Group in the Integrated Fuel Cycle (IFC) Section of the Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division (NEFCD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This position will focus on the application of your knowledge to the chemistry of advanced nuclear fuel cycles. In this position, you will develop processes that convert products and byproducts from used fuel reprocessing and recycling to stable and reusable forms. The work will involve wet chemistry, analytical characterization techniques, and flow sheet development. The FCCT Research Group investigates uranium process chemistry, alternative processing methodologies for used fuel recycling, waste form development, and off-gas treatment in support of advanced reactor technology, as well as industrial, research and national security applications.

FCCT is a national leader in chemical separation of actinides and other nuclear materials. The group evaluates the efficacy of fundamental research and performs the development required for scaling the fundamental science to engineering-scale application to benefit the US in the areas of reduction of nuclear waste and enabling sophisticated reactor technologies.

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Perform research and development on sophisticated dry head end processing methods and post-processing separations related to the nuclear fuel cycle and energy-critical element recovery.
• Perform and/or direct characterization of products of these dry head-end processing and subsequent separations, including identifying information gaps in support of flowsheet development.
• Implement experimental approaches, execute the vital physico-chemical analyses, interpretation and dissemination of experimental results.
• Participate in project planning and execution.
• Publish innovations and findings in peer-reviewed publications, technical presentations at conferences, and contribution to sponsor reports.
• Participate in project reviews, including addressing internal and external reviewers.
• Ensure compliance with Environment, Safety and Health (ES&H) and QA requirements
• As a member of the ORNL scientific community, you will be encouraged to commit to ORNL's Research Code of Conduct. Our full code of conduct, and a statement by the Lab Director's office can be found here: https://www.ornl.gov/content/research-integrity

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in Chemistry, Chemical, Nuclear, or Environmental Engineering, Geochemistry or a related field completed within the last 5 years.
• Experience in inorganic synthesis or chemical separations.
• Evidence of experience in experimentation, data analysis, and interpretation, documented in peer-reviewed publications.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Research relevant to spent fuel processing or waste form development.
• Ability to safely handle and manipulate radioactive material while preventing contamination spread.
• Characterization, i.e., optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopic analysis, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or optical emission spectroscopy, etc.
• Familiarity with glass reactors, pressurized systems, and electrical safety requirements.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to constantly evolving needs.

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Benefits at ORNL:  

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

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This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.