Engineer/Scientist/Technical Officer - Nuclear Facility Design

Location

Toronto/Ignace

Employment Category

Regular Full-Time

Department

Engineering

Job Reference

10429

Founded in 2002, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is a not-for-profit organization tasked with the safe, long-term management of Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste, in a manner that protects people and the environment for generations to come.

The NWMO has been guided for more than 20 years by a dedicated team of world-class scientists, engineers and Indigenous Knowledge Holders who are developing innovative and collaborative solutions for nuclear waste management. In 2024, the NWMO selected Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON)-Ignace area as the site for our Deep Geological Repository for used nuclear fuel.

This decision means our office and staff will, in the future, be relocating to Ignace, ON, and the DGR will be situated in the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation-Ignace area. Infrastructure planning and development is underway to support this transition and ensure that both the community and our employees are well-served and supported now and in the future.

Engineer/Scientist/Technical Officer – Nuclear Facilities Design (MP2/MP3/MP4)

Fulltime – One (1) Position Available

Position Location: Toronto Head Office – 22 St. Clair Avenue East

or Ignace, Ontario – 304 Main Street

Job Summary

Reporting to the Section Manager, Nuclear Facilities Design, and in collaboration with a multidisciplinary technical team, the successful candidate will provide technical advice, guidance and consultation in the area of nuclear facility or systems design and radioactive waste management.

Specifically, the successful candidate will work on a talented team focusing on the nuclear facilities that would be located on the surface of the DGR site. The successful candidate will be expected to collaborate in the design, development and costing of these nuclear facilities. And take into account the entire life cycle of the facility: from initial licensing and construction to facility decommissioning.

These nuclear facilities are directly responsible or provides support for (1) Receiving and unloading used fuel transportation packages; (2) Loading used fuel into long-term storage containers (bimetallic copper-steel Used Fuel Containers (UFCs)); (3) Sealing, inspecting, and dispatching completed UFCs in bentonite boxes for underground.

The successful candidate will need to consider and help address the many challenges associated with used fuel handling including, but not limited to: waste acceptance criteria; equipment design/operation for radiological environments; manufacturing and packaging logistics; operations and human factors; radiation protection; safeguards; security; emergency management; solid and liquid radioactive waste management; and operational communications.

Overall, the completed UFCs are part of a larger safe storage system, known as the Engineered Barrier System within a Deep Geological Repository (DGR). The successful candidate will collaborate with other multi-disciplinary groups to ensure the success of the overall DGR project.

Responsibilities

Perform as a technical contributor in the designated discipline. Specific duties may include:

- Develop requirements for structures, systems and components involved in the transfer of used fuel from transportation packages into UFCs.

- Develop and demonstrate automated assembly processes as may be required for manipulation and assembly of radioactive materials.

- Provide support to architectural / design organizations developing specifications and equipment designs for facilities to package used fuel.

- Work collaboratively with stakeholders from Engineering (Engineered Barrier System, Mining & Repository Engineering, Transportation), Geoscience, Safety Assessment and Design Authority & Integration Management to advance the design of nuclear facilities considering functional/performance requirements, mitigation of operational risk and cost effectiveness.

- Support regulatory submissions by providing necessary input data and reports. Support / represent the Engineering Team in regulatory meetings for technical discipline.

- Perform contract management responsibilities. Participate in the development and issuance of contracting documents (RFP’s) and evaluation and selection of contractors. Review work plans; review technical reports and outputs; monitor/report on contractor performance against work plans and schedule.

- Be responsible for and support the preparation and administration of the budget on assigned projects and contracts, including financial activities such as accruals, forecasting and business planning activities.

- Communicate clearly to supervisors, managers and external groups regarding the design and project progress. Provide updates and reports to external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, on the design status, work activities and project status.

- Ensure that work activities and programs reflect an awareness of and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, adhere to applicable codes & standards, are consist with industry best practice, and meet NWMO’s quality and safety requirements.

- Support the Life Cycle Cost Estimates for surface nuclear facilities.

- Keep abreast of developments in radioactive waste management technologies through review of technical publications, contacts with internal and external experts in the field, and conference presentation and attendance.

- Present results to technical groups, government authorities and national waste management organizations.

- Participate in NWMO public engagement activities as required.

- Perform other duties as required.

This is a Progression-In Place (PIP) role. Applicants with more experience/qualifications may be considered for a position at a higher rate and be progressed in place.

Qualifications and Experience

- A four-year university degree in a relevant engineering discipline, or an equivalent level of experience.

- A minimum of 2 years’ experience of relevant technical expertise.

- Demonstrated experience in plan development and problem resolution.

Desired Experience:

The following experience will be considered an asset. The ideal candidate would have the following experience. However, those without these direct experiences should not hesitate to apply:

- Knowledge and/or (design or operating) experience with Canadian nuclear technologies and/or nuclear used fuel.

- Experience in project management and contract management (i.e., creation of requests for proposals, bid evaluation, ongoing management, contract close out, etc.) is considered an asset.

- Experience in performing design, fabrication, inspection, commissioning, and engineering change management processes.

- Experience supporting construction, operation, and/or decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

- Experience in fuel handling, outage or refurbishment execution.

Knowledge of Canadian nuclear and international regulatory requirements for Class I/IB Nuclear facilities and/or experience in developing materials for regulatory submissions.

Other Requirements/Abilities:

- Highly motivated individual dedicated to excellence.

- Strong interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team and interact with external contractors.

- Strong organizational skills with the capability to meet established deadlines.

- Self-directed learner who displays initiative, problem recognition, synthesis and problem solving ability.

- Ability to read, analyze and interpret technical specifications and procedures, governmental regulations, policies and technical reports.

- Must be able to communicate effectively in both oral and written form and have excellent professional presentation skills to present information and respond to questions from public officials, contractors, the public and other stakeholders.

- This position may require some travel.

Other Information

Must be eligible to work in Canada and must be able to meet security clearance requirements.

We offer a competitive base salary, health care benefits and a defined benefit pension plan.

Candidates residing in the Greater Toronto Area: Office Location – 22 St. Clair Avenue East until their role is required to relocate. Preference will be given to applicants who reside in Northwestern Ontario or are willing to relocate.

NWMO currently operates in a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office (Tuesdays being universal) and 2 days working from home.

The NWMO is committed to contributing to Reconciliation in all its work by co-creating a shared future built on rights, equity and well-being. As an employment equity employer, NWMO actively seeks Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities, women, people with disabilities, and additional diverse identities for our workforce. The NWMO will provide accommodation to applicants with disabilities.

We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage interested candidates to apply at their earliest convenience to ensure full consideration.

The NWMO is committed to a fair, transparent, and efficient recruitment process. While we sincerely appreciate every expression of interest, only those candidates selected to continue in the recruitment process will be contacted directly.