Pyrochemical​/Molten Salt Scientist - Level 2

Job Description

As a Pyrochemical/Molten Salt Scientist, you’ll be at the forefront of INL’s legacy, designing and optimizing chemical processes that drive innovation in nuclear energy solutions, national security, and advanced energy systems. Your work directly contributes to INL’s mission by ensuring the reliability and cutting‑edge performance of critical infrastructure across the U.S. government and private sector partners. By developing process control software and interpreting technical data, you’ll help secure and advance technologies that shape America’s energy future.

This role lets you blend hands‑on experimentation with strategic design, turning complex challenges into breakthroughs that support national priorities. Join a team of pioneers where your expertise in chemical engineering becomes the backbone of groundbreaking scientific achievements.

• Document design to ensure conformance with requirements and standards.
• Establish testing, inspection, and quality requirements.
• Ensure fabrication, construction, assembly, and procurement are done per design specifications.
• Develop processes for separating components of solids, liquids, and/or gases using electrical potentials, controlled chemical processes, or other means.
• Develop and implement process controls and tracking mechanisms using programming.
• Prepare process flow diagrams and heat/material balances.
• Establish process design and operating parameters through simulations, hazards analysis, and testing.
• Monitor and evaluate plant system conditions and operational performance, recommend maintenance standards, and identify vendor data and replacement parts.
• Participate in system design, fabrication, and testing for research and development programs.
• Develop physics‑based mathematical models to support and verify design.
• Perform laboratory research studies to prove new principles and concepts.
• Document and disseminate findings from laboratory studies in peer reviewed journals, programmatic reports, and professional conferences.
• Maintain familiarity with applicable codes and standards.
• Develop technologies for the management and recycling of used nuclear fuels using advanced pyrochemical processing techniques including electrochemistry in molten salts. This may include hands‑on testing, experimentation, and data collection with radiological materials in inert atmosphere glove boxes.
• Identify new research opportunities, contribute to technical teams, respond to research opportunities, and assist in securing funding for research activities.

• Use scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Knowledge of engineering science and technology.
• Proficiency in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Understanding of chemical composition, structure, properties, and processes.
• Knowledge of physical principles and their applications to fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics.
• Read and understand written information.
• Apply general rules to specific problems.
• Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

• Level 2:
  Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution and 2 years of relevant experience; or a Master of Science degree in a related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution and 0 years of relevant experience; or a PhD in a related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution.
• Level 3:
  Bachelor of Science degree in a related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution and 5 years of relevant experience; or a Master’s degree in a related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution and 2 years of relevant experience; or a PhD in a related discipline from an ABET‑accredited institution and 2 years of relevant experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Depending on work assignment, experience with advanced programming languages (e.g., Python, C, SQL, Visual Basic, UNIX).

• Advanced degree in Chemical…