Nuclear Fuel Development Engineer

Job Description

Idaho National Laboratory is hiring a Nuclear Fuel Development Engineer to work in our Advanced Fuel Manufacturing and Development department. Our team works a 4x10 schedule located out of our Materials and Fuels Complex with every Friday off.

INL is recognized as the lead national laboratory for DOE-NE, providing much of the nuclear research, development, and demonstration capability needed to move nuclear innovation forward to deployment. MFC hosts a unique combination of personnel, facilities, and infrastructure, and offers the ability to perform research and development of nuclear fuels from fuel design, development, and fabrication through post irradiation analysis.


You will work on a broad spectrum of activities in nuclear fuels and materials research, development and demonstration. Responsibilities include concept development, process qualification, and characterization to the design and assembly of irradiation experiments. Act as a principal investigator, oversee peer reviews, generate scholarly outputs, and seek new research opportunities to advance INL's mission on both national and international stages.

Responsibilities:

• Support and/or conduct research, development, and analysis with nuclear fuels and materials within one or more of the following technical areas: characterization, fabrication, sample preparation, instrument development, process development, and irradiation experiment design and assembly.
• Responsible for activities from the procurement of feedstock, coordination of material movements, adherence to stringent quality and safety standards, and overseeing the fuel or experiment being inserted into the reactor.
• Develop and use processes to fabricate a wide range of advanced nuclear fuels and nuclear fuels and materials experiments encompassing the full development lifecycle: process design, procurement, synthesis, production, post-processing, characterization, and novel development work associated with these activities.
• Follow through on basic project needs, including submission of input towards establishment of these needs, and subsequently acting on these requirements to develop and execute activities and processes resulting in high-quality deliverables.
• Document activities, coordinate material movements, and establish multi-facility process paths, ensuring quality standards are satisfied and adherence to safety protocols.
• Serve as a principal investigator. Establish research plans, conduct research, interpret data, and provide technical leadership.
• Conduct peer reviews, and drive generation of reports, publications, proposals, and intellectual property.
• Actively seek new research opportunities, generate proposals, secure funding, and represent INL to sponsors and peers in national and international forums.
• Level 3: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering or other related technical engineering degree from an ABET-accredited institution and 5 years experience. Master's and 2 years of experience. PhD and 2 years experience.
• Level 4: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering or other related technical engineering degree from an ABET-accredited institution and 9 years of experience. Master's and 6 years of experience. PhD and 4years of experience.
• Must have a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental science, theories and application needs such that the invoked approaches constitute technical best practices.
• Must have a sound knowledge of other related science or technical disciplines with the ability to effectively implement this knowledge to support the successful execution of assigned work and the development of new work.
• Must have effective collaboration and communication skills to organize cross-functional teams to meet project requirements.

Minimum Requirements:

• Level 3: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering or other related technical engineering degree from an ABET-accredited institution and 5 years experience. Master's and 2 years of experience. PhD and 2 years experience.
• Level 4: Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering or other related technical engineering degree from an ABET-accredited institution and 9 years of experience. Master's and 6 years of experience. PhD and 4years of experience.
• Must have a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental science, theories and application needs such that the invoked approaches constitute technical best practices.
• Must have a sound knowledge of other related science or technical disciplines with the ability to effectively implement this knowledge to support the successful execution of assigned work and the development of new work.
• Must have effective collaboration and communication skills to organize cross-functional teams to meet project requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the design and manufacturing of nuclear fuels, especially advanced nuclear fuels
• Proficiency in laboratory and industrial operating environments, including experience with a variety of laboratory and manufacturing equipment
• Exceptional, demonstrated success in written communications and presentations on complex, technical topics to a wide variety of audiences.
• Comprehensive understanding of the nuclear fuel cycle, including varied fuel recycling approaches

Job Information:

• The pay range for this position is: Level 3 ($95,256 - $195,288) / Level 4 ($114,360 - $234,336). At Idaho National Laboratory compensation decisions are determined using factors such as education, relevant experience, and other credentials.
• TDP: This is a testing designated position; you will be required to submit to a pre-employment drug screen and periodic drug testing throughout the term of your employment.
• Multi-Level: This is a multi-level posting and you will be placed at the appropriate level dependent on depth and breadth of proven experience and skills.

Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, and work in an office and field/laboratory environment. The job requires hand/finger dexterity to keyboard or type, handle materials, manipulate tools, and reach with hands and arms. The job requires operation of job-related equipment and driving a vehicle. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds without assistance. Sufficient visual acuity and hearing capacity to perform the essential functions and interact with the public is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

About Us

Benefits and Relocation

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401(k) with a 4.2% employer contribution and up to 4.8% match (regular positions) or self-contribute access (postdoctoral positions)
• Paid time off (personal leave)
• Employee Education Program (tuition assistance for eligible positions)
• Comprehensive Relocation Package
• Benefit eligibility subject to multiple factors, including employment status and position classification.

At this time, BEA will not sponsor any H1-B visas obtained outside of the United States of America (U.S.A.), including consular visas.

INL is a science-based, applied engineering national laboratory dedicated to supporting the U.S. Department of Energy's mission in nuclear energy research, science, and national defense. With more than 6,300 scientists, researchers, and support staff, the laboratory works with national and international governments, universities and industry partners to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure.

INL Mission:

Our mission is to discover, demonstrate and secure innovative nuclear energy solutions, other clean energy options and critical infrastructure.

INL Vision:

Our vision is to change the world's energy future and secure our nation's critical infrastructure.

Selective Service Requirements:

To be eligible for employment at INL males born after December 31, 1959 must have registered with the Selective Service System (SSS). For more information see

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of INL to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

Reasonable Accommodation:

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Other Information:

When applying to positions please provide a resume and answer all questions on the following screens. Applicants, who fail to provide a resume or answer the questions, may be deemed ineligible for consideration.

INL does not accept resumes from third party vendors unsolicited.