Radiochemist II

Thanks for your interest in Oklo! We are searching for a Radiochemist II to join our team. 

This position will be on-site in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Position Description

Oklo Isotopes is building scalable U.S. radioisotope production capabilities in facilities dedicated to producing essential isotopes for healthcare, space, industry, research, and defense applications. In February 2026, Oklo’s Idaho Radioisotopes Laboratory (IRL) located in Idaho Falls received its Material Possession License from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to take a leading role in the manufacturing and distribution of beneficial radioisotopes in the US.

We are seeking a Radiochemist II to support radiochemistry operations, isotope production, and radiological program execution within a fast-paced and highly regulated environment. This role is designed for an experienced radiochemist with demonstrated expertise in radiochemical processes, radiological controls, laboratory operations, and radiation safety practices. The individual will support safe radiological operations and contribute to operational readiness activities in a highly regulated environment.

The Radiochemist II will work closely with operations, engineering, radiation protection, and regulatory teams to ensure safe and compliant radiological activities while supporting production, analytical, and laboratory initiatives. This position requires strong technical depth, operational discipline, and the ability to contribute to both day-to-day laboratory execution and long-term program development.

Specific responsibilities may include:

• Perform radiochemical processing, isotope handling, and analytical laboratory activities in accordance with approved procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Support development, optimization, and execution of radiochemical methods and processes.
• Conduct radiological characterization, sample preparation, and analysis using appropriate instrumentation and laboratory techniques.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of radiological controls and laboratory safety programs.
• Assist with maintaining compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local radiation safety regulations, licenses, permits, and internal procedures relevant to laboratory and isotope production operations.
• Support radiological surveys, contamination control activities, dosimetry oversight, source accountability, and radioactive material handling programs.
• Participate in development and maintenance of laboratory procedures, technical training materials, and operational guidance documents.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support safe radiological operations, commissioning activities, and operational readiness efforts.
• Assist with audits, inspections, corrective actions, occurrence investigations, and regulatory interactions related to radiological and laboratory operations.
• Maintain accurate technical records, laboratory documentation, and radiological program data.
• Mentor junior technical staff and contribute to development of strong laboratory and radiological safety culture.
• Support emergency preparedness and response activities associated with radiological operations.
• Promote continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational excellence, safety, compliance, and technical rigor.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Radiochemistry, Nuclear Engineering, Health Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in radiochemistry, radioactive material handling, nuclear laboratory operations, or related radiological environments.
• Demonstrated knowledge of radiological work practices, contamination controls, laboratory safety, and operational work planning.
• Experience working with radioactive isotopes, radiochemical separations, analytical instrumentation, and laboratory quality standards.
• Familiarity with NRC, DOE, Agreement State, or other applicable radiological regulatory frameworks.
• Strong technical writing, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in cross-functional operational and laboratory environments.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Radiochemistry, Chemistry, Nuclear Engineering, Health Physics, or related field.
• Previous experience supporting or serving in radiation safety program roles.
• Experience with isotope production, hot cell operations, gloveboxes, or nuclear facility operations.
• Professional certifications or training related to radiation safety, radiochemistry, or health physics.
• Experience supporting startup, commissioning, or operational readiness activities in regulated facilities.

Competencies

We are looking for a Radiochemist II that is:

• Passionate about unleashing beneficial isotopes
• Commitment to nuclear safety culture and operational excellence
• Willing and able to learn quickly
• Eager to work on a dynamic team, receive constructive feedback, and grow with us
• Willing to think differently and do things in new ways
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, highly iterative startup environment
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment
• Attention to detail and procedural compliance
• Excited to think creatively, critically, and reflectively about the problems they are solving, while not leaning only on what has been done before
• Willing to propose novel and creative solutions to technical problems
• An excellent writer who can write in modern active voice, so make your cover letter compelling and write it well!
• Sound judgment and decision-making in radiological and operational environments

Who you are:

A startup person: You aren't driven by titles or hierarchy, and prefer efficiency to excess process. You don't need or expect to have a lot of guidance but you enjoy working in a fast-paced team. If you prefer the culture and feel of a large organization, that is great, but you likely won’t enjoy working with us! There is plenty of important work and plenty of good opportunities with organizations like that.

Motivated: You are self-motivated. You bring an enthusiasm to the team, and imbue a sense of passion that goes beyond clocking in and clocking out. This isn’t about a fake or arbitrary “pieces of flair” mentality or lack of work-life balance! It is about being a part of the vision and feeling a part of reaching team goals.

A team-player: Oklo genuinely is a team. We aren’t about taking credit for ourselves, and we aren’t about pushing blame to others. We do incredible things because we work as a team.

An excellent communicator: We need a person who is not only technically competent but also a clear and upbeat communicator.

Creative: Being creative means that when things fall outside clear scopes or processes or problems arise without clear solutions, you are able to identify it as well as invent ways to solve a problem or fill a need without micromanagement. The successful person in this job will not only be creative, but also enjoy being creative and solving open-ended problems which may change day-by-day.

Detail-oriented: This focus is a big part of excellence, consistency, and quality. Excellent grammar and spelling matter for both good communication as well as the image of the company that we put forward.

About Oklo travel requirements:

Oklo requires remote employees to travel to headquarters (Santa Clara, CA) twice a quarter annually, based on business or team needs, including attendance at team meetings, off-sites, and other company events or gatherings. For the first two weeks of onboarding, employees are required to be in person at headquarters in Santa Clara, CA.

About Oklo compensation:

Salary: $100,000-$150,000

Oklo offers flexible time off, equity, bonuses, competitive pay, 401(k), health insurance (with employer contribution), HSA, FSA, flexible work hours, wellness credits, and other benefits.

This position may involve access to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Only applicants who meet the definition of a U.S. person under applicable laws may be eligible.

About Oklo Inc.: Oklo Inc. is developing fast fission power plants to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy at scale; establishing a domestic supply chain for critical radioisotopes; and advancing nuclear fuel recycling to convert nuclear waste into clean energy. Oklo was the first to receive a site use permit from the U.S. Department of Energy for a commercial advanced fission plant, was awarded fuel material from Idaho National Laboratory, and submitted the first custom combined license application for an advanced reactor to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Oklo is also developing advanced fuel recycling technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. National Laboratories.

#CHOP: Oklo’s Values
Collaboration : We go further, together. We bring diverse perspectives, listen actively, and build trust through transparency and respect. We work across disciplines, sharing ownership to turn complex challenges into shared successes.
Humility : We are team players who act for the good of the company and for the world. We are focused on our mission, not personal recognition.
Ownership : We take pride in what we do and how we do it. We are proactive in finding solutions and see tasks through to completion. We are committed to delivering on our promises to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
Pathfinding : We chart new ground where no path exists by approaching challenges with curiosity, courage, and creativity while navigating ambiguity.

Candidates should be aware that employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a drug screening, and employees may be subject to drug testing at any time in accordance with company policy and applicable laws.

Recruitment Fraud Disclaimer

Oklo is aware of recent recruitment fraud attempts targeting job seekers. Please be cautious of anyone claiming to represent Oklo who does not contact you from an official Oklo email address.

All legitimate communications from our recruiting team— including application updates, interview requests, and job offers — will come exclusively from an @oklo.com email. Oklo will never ask for sensitive personal information, payments, or account credentials during the hiring process.

If you receive suspicious outreach or have concerns about the authenticity of any communication claiming to be from Oklo, please contact us through the official channels listed on our website.