Specialty Mechanical Engineer

Requisition Id 10116 

Overview: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Specialty Mechanical Engineer for our world class radioisotope production program, with expertise in design, procurement, testing and commissioning of specialty mechanical equipment for nuclear materials handling. Team with scientists, engineers, and technicians to provide specialty mechanical equipment to support a large range of technical areas; Including, chemical processing, radiation detection, specialty scientific equipment, and mechanical fabrication with nuclear materials. You will support projects for both new and existing equipment and programs. The work is performed under exacting quality specifications and with the adherence to conduct of operations in nuclear facilities, requiring good team dynamics and efficiency to meet tight schedules. We are seeking a team member who can be a team player with excellent attention to detail. Specialty mechanical equipment includes electromechanical systems such as: gloveboxes, furnaces, high vacuum systems, hydraulics, machine tools, and material processing equipment; and the supporting process tooling required for safe handling and operation of materials.  Supporting the largest radioisotope production and research portfolio within the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science for Isotope R&D and Production, as well as extensive isotope production programs for the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy and National Nuclear Safety Administration, this position will grant you the opportunity to work with rare nuclear materials, and the unique facilities at ORNL, including the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC), as you guide the strategic growth of our radioisotope handling infrastructure.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Under the guidance of Senior Engineers provide technical support to our customers (i.e. Program Managers, ORNL nuclear facilities, Research staff, and Isotope Production and Manufacturing Division staff.
• Perform hands-on assembling, testing, integrating, and troubleshooting process/production equipment for new and enduring remote operations with radioactive materials within hot cells, and gloveboxes at REDC and other facilities.
• Design, fabricate, and test custom specialty mechanical equipment following the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) development process.
• Work with senior engineers to propose new development activities by defining equipment system requirements, project scope, schedule, and budget required to support isotope production objectives.
• Develop engineering deliverables needed to provide configuration management of specialty mechanical equipment and their processes.
• Implement requirements through design definition activities, such as design reports, engineering drawings, and specifications.
• Support customers with rapid prototyping services through use of the groups Stratasys F370 and J55 3D printers.
• Apply basic project management principals to plan, monitor, and control small projects.
• As a member of the ORNL scientific community, you will be expected 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 Bachelor of Science in engineering field or Engineering Technology (BSET) from an ABET accredited institution/program.
• Two or more years of experience in Engineering or related technical activities, such as product development, research, or manufacturing. Position band may be dependent upon the applicant’s years of experience.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with diverse teams of engineers, scientists, and technicians.
• Interest in the design, fabrication, and commissioning of purpose-built equipment used for safe and efficient production of radioisotopes.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE clearance.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Manufacturing experience in an R&D and/or a production environment
• Experience with equipment procurements of specialized equipment used in highly regulated facilities, such as: gloveboxes, furnaces, custom material handling lifts, hoisting and rigging, foundry equipment, material processing equipment, and process tooling.
• Experience as the technical person leading a multi-discipline engineering activity focused on specialty mechanical design efforts and producing build-to-print equipment fabrication packages, including fabrication drawings, specification, calculations, etc.
• Experience with 3D printing software, technical principals of design for additive manufacturing, and operation of FDM and polyjet 3D printers.
• Experience with electro-mechanical systems such as robotics.
• Experience with equipment integration and testing of complex specialty mechanical systems.
• Experience with radioactive material handling in gloveboxes and/or remote handling hot cells.
• Experience with SolidWorks, CREO or other CAD modeling system.
• Demonstrated ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Special Requirements

• DOE clearance

About the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate (ISED):
Established in 2020, the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate is strengthening Oak Ridge National Laboratory's leadership in isotope production and enrichment technology innovation. ISED is guiding the Lab's pursuit of the fundamental science and technology that broadens the application of isotopes for energy, environmental, medical, and national security purposes. These efforts are made possible through the High Flux Isotope Reactor, the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center, ORNL's other nuclear facilities, and an assemblage of world-leading scientists and engineers.  Please visit https://www.ornl.gov/directorate/isotopes for more information about ISED. This position resides in the Radioisotope Infrastructure Development (RID) Group in the Radioisotope Production Engineering and Analysis (RPEA) Section in the Radioisotope Science and Technology Division (RSTD) at ORNL. RID enables the production of a variety of important medical, scientific, and industrial radioisotopes. These include several alpha/beta emitting radioisotopes either deployed or under clinical trial for treatment of cancer (e.g., Ac-225, Ac-227, Ra-224/Pb-212, and W-188); heavy actinides Bk-249, Es-254, and Fm-257 for fundamental chemistry research and new element discovery; Cf-252 for neutron emitting applications; Pu-238 for space exploration; and Ni-63 and Pm-147 for industrial applications.

Benefits at ORNL:
UT-Battelle offers a quality benefits package, including a matching 401(k), contributory pension plan, paid vacation, and medical/dental plan options.  Onsite amenities include a credit union, medical clinic, cafeteria, and fitness facilities.

Relocation:
Moving can be overwhelming and expensive.  UT-Battelle offers a generous relocation package to ease the transition process.  Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions.  If invited to interview, be sure to ask your Recruiter (Talent Acquisition Partner) for details.
For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at https://jobs.ornl.gov.

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.