Talent Bridge: MFC Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Talent Bridge:
Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Location: Materials and Fuels Complex, Idaho National Laboratory

Schedule: 4 x 10's with every Friday off

Program Duration: 12 months, with a potential 1‑year extension.

As an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer, you will apply engineering principles to support the research, design, and maintenance of the systems that monitor and control complex processes in a nuclear research environment. You will work alongside a multi‑disciplinary team of scientists and engineers, bridging hardware and software to ensure that instrumentation performs at the highest level of quality and reliability. The ideal candidate is a sharp, analytical problem‑solver with a foundation in electrical systems, control theory, and data acquisition, someone who thrives at the intersection of hands‑on technical work and collaborative research.

• Work with a multi‑disciplinary team of scientists and engineers on challenging work scope. Work with internal and external stakeholders to identify requirements and commercially available technologies that meet specific specifications. Collaborate and partner with other government agencies, academia, and private sector companies to achieve project objectives. Decompose project objectives into defined and controlled design requirements.
• Use design methodologies, technologies, and processes which are best practice for the technical discipline to develop and define a design, and to validate that the design meets defined requirements.
• Develop physics‑based mathematical models of mechanical, chemical, and electrical systems to support and verify design.
• Establish testing, inspection, and quality requirements to ensure technical features important to design functions are maintained.
• Oversee or otherwise ensure that fabrication, construction, assembly, and procurement are done in accordance with the design.
• Ensure that analysis needs are recorded and clearly understood. Document the design (controlled and approved models, drawings, specifications, design descriptions) to establish conformance with design requirements and applicable codes and standards.
• Ensure that data and analysis generated by the instruments is of high quality and meets customer and user needs.
• Participate in professional development activities aimed at keeping pace with industry developments. Maintain familiarity with and technical understanding of codes and standards applicable to the discipline.
• Maintain knowledge of newly emerging technologies and applications to the nuclear industry.
• Identify applicable codes, standards, regulations, and procedures.
• Publish and communicate research accomplished on the instrument and instrument improvements to both external and internal audiences with the goal of enhancing the INL’s reputation and building a strong user base for the instrument.
• Generate ideas for new proposals and business development opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Possess a sharp mechanical aptitude and an instinct for troubleshooting and problem‑solving.
• Use scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Understand a wide variety of complex instrumentations and the ability to modify the instrumentation to meet the needs of the researchers.
• Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Demonstrated ability to use, read, and troubleshoot, Python Programming, PLC ladder logic, LabVIEW, and C++.
• Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Knowledge of data acquisition systems.
• Knowledge of both analog…