Criticality Safety Analyst 1/2

What You Will Do

This position will be filled at either the Criticality Safety Analyst 1 or 2 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if the candidate is hired at the higher level.

Criticality Safety Analyst 1 ($92,300 - $151,000)
Working as a Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Analyst under the LANL NCS Program you will provide technical guidance to determine that fissionable material operations remain subcritical under normal and credible abnormal conditions. You will be assisting the operating organization personnel and qualified criticality safety analysts in criticality safety evaluations for new or proposed changes to existing fissionable material operations. This is the job for you if you are interested in supporting a key national security mission by interfacing with customers in nuclear facilities, performing technical analyses, proposing logical arguments, and recommending NCS controls. In addition, you will be assisting in the preparation and presentation of NCS technical reports both internal to LANL and external to the criticality safety community (e.g., American Nuclear Society, etc.).

Criticality Safety Analyst 2 ($101,700 - $168,200)

In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, at this level you provide technical guidance on the implementation of the LANL NCS Program and collaborate with operating organization personnel to document criticality safety evaluations for new or proposed changes to existing fissionable material operations. You will have the opportunity to conduct periodic reviews of fissionable material operations, lead and/or participate in NCS response to programmatic issues and criticality process deviations/infractions, and participate in NCS emergency response. Additionally, you will independently prepare and present NCS technical reports both internally to LANL and externally to the criticality safety community (e.g., American Nuclear Society, etc.), and conduct NCS training for all levels of employees involved in fissionable material operations.
What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

  • Basic knowledge of and experience with nuclear physics
  • Basic knowledge of and experience with criticality safety analysis tools such as SCALE/MCNP
  • Demonstrated technical writing skills and good oral communication skills
Additional Job Requirements for Criticality Safety Analyst 2:
In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requires:
  • Prior criticality safety or related experience
  • Knowledge in the discipline of NCS, including NCS evaluations, program implementation, computation tools, standards, and regulatory guidelines
  • Knowledge on the meaning and use of the ANSI/ANS 8 Series National Standards and applicable DOE Orders, Standards, and Guides
  • Knowledge on the use of the computer codes and nuclear data used for modeling and NCS analysis
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct NCS evaluations on a variety of fissile/fissionable material forms
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting research, investigating alternative solutions, and recommending solutions on problems affecting NCS
  • Ability to conceptualize and communicate major elements of NCS to both technical and non-technical personnel
Education/Experience at lower level: Position requires a bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Physics or related discipline from an accredited institution and 2 years of related experience, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Education/Experience at higher level: Position requires a bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Physics or related discipline from an accredited institution and 4 years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

This position may be subject to DOE Order 426.2, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities. This DOE Order establishes entry-level requirements to ensure employees in the positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.

Desired Qualifications:

Criticality Safety Analyst 1:
  • Working to qualify as a Nuclear Criticality Safety (NCS) Analyst under the LANL NCS Program (compliant with ANSI/ANS 8.26)
  • Experience supporting operating organization personnel in the implementation of the LANL NCS Program
  • Experience assisting operating organization personnel and qualified criticality safety analysts in criticality safety evaluations for new or proposed changes to existing fissionable material operations
  • Experience conducting research, investigating alternative solutions, and recommending solutions on problems affecting NCS
  • Experience assisting in the preparation and presentation of NCS technical reports both internal to LANL and external to the criticality safety community (e.g. American Nuclear Society, etc.
Criticality Safety Analyst 2:
In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, at this level:
  • Experience providing technical guidance to operating organization personnel in the implementation of the LANL NCS Program
  • Experience collaborating with operating organization personnel to document criticality safety evaluations for new or proposed changes to existing fissionable material operations
  • Experience conducting periodic reviews of fissionable material operations
  • Experience leading and/or participating in NCS response to programmatic issues and criticality process deviations/infractions
  • Experience participating in NCS emergency response preparation (emergency procedures, plans, exercises, and drills)
  • Experience independently preparing and presenting NCS technical reports both internally to LANL and externally to the criticality safety community (e.g., American Nuclear Society, etc.)
  • Experience conducting NCS training for all levels of employees involved in fissionable material operations

Location: This position will be located in Los Alamos, NM

Note to Applicants: Please submit a cover letter addressing the requirements of the position along with your resume.

Position Commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.
Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
  • PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
  • Dental and vision insurance
  • Free basic life and disability insurance
  • Paid childbirth and parental leave
  • Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
  • Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
  • Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
  • Onsite gyms and wellness programs
  • Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

HRP: This position is subject to the requirements of the DOE Human Reliability Program as specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulation, Part 712, §712.11. These requirements include on going drug and alcohol testing, as well as periodic medical and psychological evaluations.

DOE 426.2: This position is subject to DOE Order 426.2, Personnel Selection, Training, and Qualification Requirements for DOE Nuclear Facilities, which establishes entry-level requirements to ensure candidates selected for specific positions can successfully perform the requirements of the job.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Regular Position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-664-6947 option 2.