Chemical Engineer

Can you see yourself designing and refining processes that produce life‑saving medical isotopes? Would you like to take on challenges no one has solved before – and know that your work directly impacts cancer patients around the world? At Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in Chalk River, we’re looking for a Chemical Engineer, Isotopes to join our Licensed Nuclear Facilities Department and help advance the future of nuclear medicine.

• Participating in defining, developing, and optimizing isotope production and separation processes.
• Translating technical requirements into process designs using engineering principles, best practices, and regulatory frameworks.
• Developing process flow diagrams (PFDs), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and operating procedures.
• Preparing design documentation, including process descriptions, calculations, and technical reports.
• Participating in multi‑disciplinary design reviews and risk assessments.
• Documenting and programming automated/semi‑automated chemistry equipment systems.
• Preparing testing plans, validation protocols, and reports to demonstrate compliance with design and regulatory requirements.
• Providing on‑floor support in hot cell facilities (~25% of time) during process demonstrations, troubleshooting, and implementation.
• Collaborating with technicians and operators to ensure safe and effective execution of chemical processes.
• Looking for areas of continuous improvement.
• Writing and maintaining process documentation to support GMP and regulatory submissions.
• Ensuring processes meet CNSC, Health Canada, and internal quality standards.
• Contributing to hazard analyses and safety documentation for radiological environments.
• Identifying, developing, and documenting critical quality attributes, critical process parameters, and chemistry, manufacturing, and controls.
• Acting as an individual contributor within the process engineering domain, while drawing on mentoring from senior engineers in other disciplines.
• Contributing technical presentations and reports to internal and external stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned by your manager.

• Education
  • At minimum, a Bachelor’s (Honour) in Engineering or Science from a university of recognized standing; or membership in an engineering or scientific professional organization authorized by statute to establish qualification for membership in that organization.
  • An undergraduate degree in Chemical or Process Engineering is considered an asset.
  • Licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario or eligible for licensure/EIT status.
• Experience
  • At minimum, 1-3 years of relevant chemical/process engineering experience or other relevant experience.
  • Experience in radioisotope production, radiochemistry, or pharmaceutical/biotech process industries is an asset.
  • Experience with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), Health Canada, or other regulatory frameworks is an asset.
  • Experience with formatting, manipulating, and interpreting experimental and analytical data sets.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
  • A desire to innovate and improve chemical and separation processes.
  • Ability to learn, adapt, and pivot as new process information emerges.
  • Proficiency in process design fundamentals (heat and mass transfer, fluid flow, separation techniques, chemical reactions).
  • Ability to evaluate processes for safety, efficiency, and compliance using engineering judgment and regulatory guidance.
  • Demonstrated strong documentation skills, including writing procedures, process descriptions, and regulatory submissions.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong computer literacy, including word processing, spreadsheets, and chemical process modelling tools.
  • Understanding of radiation effects on materials, processes, and equipment is an asset.
  • Knowledge of radiochemistry, isotope separation, and hot cell operations is an asset.
  • Knowledge of the process development cycle from concept to production implementation.
  • Knowledge of the principles of chemical separation and purification (liquid-liquid extraction, ion exchange, crystallization, etc.).
  • Knowledge on the process design for radiation environments,…