MCFR Senior Radiochemist - Agency Contract

TITLE:MCFR Sr. Radiochemist - Contract

LOCATION:Everett, WA

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications – all for significant human health benefits.

Sr. Radiochemist Contractor - Contract

TerraPower is seeking a Senior Radiochemist to support the Molten Chloride Fast Reactor (MCFR) program. This position reports to the Senior Manager of Innovation R&D Chemistry. The role centers on experimental radiochemistry supporting the development and execution of laboratory activities critical to the MCFR program, beginning with actinide salt synthesis, molten salt property measurements, and radiochemical analysis, and evolving toward the design and validation of salt chemistry systems supporting reactor demonstration and waste reduction technologies. You’ll collaborate with members of the R&D, design engineering, and quality groups in a high-performing, multi-disciplinary environment to inform design decisions and close gaps in molten salt chemistry understanding. This role is hybrid with on-site four days per week. The ability to be physically present at our Everett, WA lab is a requirement.

This role provides technical leadership in radiochemical experimentation and may serve as Principal Investigator (PI) on multiple efforts, ensuring that experimental work and data analysis align with TerraPower’s safety, regulatory, and innovation goals. Your work will help advance a first-of-a-kind reactor toward commercial deployment.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead and assist experiments, including as a Principal Investigator.

- Propose, develop and conduct process monitoring techniques in high temperature molten salts and gas streams containing fission products, design gas sorbent apparatus.

- Lead and assist in radiochemistry laboratory developments, including the design of flexible experimental chemistry capabilities to support TerraPower R&D activities.

- Prepare technical reports, peer review manuscripts, intellectual property documents and conference presentations.

- Maintain laboratory procedures (e.g., calibration, analytical methods, notebook results preparation, usage documentation).

- Perform all work in compliance with site safety and radiation protection guidelines, including effective teamwork and communication with health physicists, authorized users and RSO.

- Emphasize safety in new and existing design and safe practices in all experimental activities.

- Assist in the training, developing, and mentoring of employees.

- Lead and assist in ensuring organization, housekeeping and effectiveness of TerraPower R&D radiochemistry use areas and production facilities is always maintained at a high standard.

- Perform other general duties associated with position as member of radiochemistry team to ensure ongoing effectiveness and continuous improvement of TerraPower R&D efforts.

Key Qualifications and Skills

- A doctoral level (PhD) degree in radiochemistry, chemistry, or equivalent disciplines with additional demonstrated hands-on laboratory experience and expertise in radiochemistry, chemical and radiochemical synthesis, and chemical separations.

- Demonstrated experience of bulk actinide and radiological material synthesis, processing or handling under controlled environments is required.

- Extensive background of the chemistry of nuclear systems and radiochemistry relevant to the fuel cycle.

- Extensive background in radiochemistry relevant to advanced nuclear reactor development.

- Demonstrated leadership within multifunctional teams and in the execution of complex projects is desired.

- Demonstrated experience working in inert and moisture-free atmospheres, such as gloveboxes and Schlenk lines, and adapting equipment for use in such environments is compulsory.

- Expertise in characterization methods relevant to actinide compounds is needed. The characterization techniques include Raman Spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, TGA/DSC, XRD, alpha spectroscopy, gamma spectroscopy, and chromatography (IC, HPLC, TLC), and experience with at least four of these techniques is desired.

- Experience with planning, design and execution of electrochemical, spectroscopic and spectroelectrochemical experiments is a plus.

- Experience demonstrating the highest standards with respect to safety and radiation protection in all work activities, particularly regarding NRC standards.

- Ability to understand requirements (regulations, codes and standards, etc.), incorporate them into TerraPower documents, and provide associated guidance to TerraPower personnel.

- Strong organizational and communication skills including technical writing, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

- Ability to structure and plan basic and applied research in the radiochemistry and other areas relevant to TerraPower.

- The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.

Job Functions

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation. Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations. An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

- Motor Abilities: Sitting and standing for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands).

- Repetitive work: Prolonged.

- Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work and ability to perform role in personal protective equipment.

- Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hrs./day.

- Work location: This is an on-site position and the applicant will be expected to spend significant time at the Everett labs in WA.

TerraPower’s technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government. TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements. To facilitate TerraPower’s export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States. Government export authorization approval times vary. Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.