Inorganic Analytical Chemist - Research Scientist

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States’ security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is essential to innovation and creativity for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range

$148,650.00 - $190,932.00 Annually

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

We have an opening for an Inorganic Analytical Chemist to analyze the chemical composition of actinide materials. You will conduct a full range of complex efforts in actinide materials characterization. Your primary efforts will be to support and drive the characterization of actinide materials (primarily Pu) through an expanding set of instrumental analysis techniques within a nuclear facility environment. This position is in the Plutonium Science and Technology group within the Materials Science Division.

In this role you will

• Perform work in a small-team environment, with extensive cross-disciplinary interactions amongst colleagues, other teams, facility operations, etc.
• Conduct complex sample preparation and actinide material characterization efforts using a range of instrumental techniques (ICP-MS, ICP-ES, TIMS, titration, etc.)
• Perform hands-on work in gloveboxes and other contamination enclosures within a nuclear facility environment.
• Provide Pu characterization experiences/insights to help refine team planning efforts and develop compliant technical solutions to highly complex operational issues related to actinide materials characterization.
• Use established work control procedures, and develop new ones where needed, to drive highly complex instrumental techniques.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Prepare written analyses, verbal briefings, and other presentations that capture and communicate team results.
• Conduct advanced actinide analytical chemistry research and serve as the primary technical contact to meet sponsor needs in actinide materials characterization.
• Mentor other analysts and support staff as needed.

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain and maintain fissile material handler certification.
• Advanced understanding of analytical chemistry and/or materials characterization techniques, such as multi-element instrumental analyses (mass spectroscopy and emission spectroscopy), TIMS, titrimetry, etc.
• Master’s in Chemistry, Geochemistry, Forensics, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Ability and drive to learn new techniques and independently advance lab characterization efforts and capabilities.
• Ability to work independently, as well as part of a team.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills necessary to interact with a diverse set of scientists, engineers, and other technical and administrative staff within a collaborative environment.
• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.

Qualifications We Desire

• Knowledge of state-of-art analytical instrumentation and testing of nuclear materials.
• PhD in Chemistry, Geochemistry, Forensics, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Significant experience in actinide materials characterizations and operations within a highly regulated environment

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Position Information

This is a Career Indefinite position, open to Lab employees and external candidates.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values
• Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement
• Relocation Assistance
• Flexible Benefits Package
• Education Reimbursement Program
• 401(k)
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance. If you are selected, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing. Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Advertisements. LLNL’s hiring practices:

• Involves at least one interview (virtual or in-person) and never interviews job applicants through chat platforms such as Google Hangouts, or via correspondence through text and instant messaging systems.
• Only sends email communications to job applicants from domain “@llnl.gov” or via their applicant tracking system, [email protected]. Occasionally LLNL uses third-party vendors that will contact you about job opportunities. If a recruiter contacts you to apply, you will always be directed to our career page to apply through our career site.
• Never requires job applicants to pay an application/training fee or submit personal documents like bank account details, passport number, Social Security number, tax forms or credit card information as part of the application process.
• For interviews and to be granted access to a Federal facility, a LLNL employee will contact you directly to collect visa, passport number, and/or Social Security number. To vet the authenticity of the employee please have them provide you their name and phone number and verify at people.llnl.gov.
• Encourages all applicants to visit LLNL’s careers page at www.llnl.gov/join-our-team/careers if they saw the job posting on another site prior to applying to ensure the job posting is accurate and valid.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request.

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.