Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Technologist 2/3

This position serves the Laboratory's core national security mission areas of weapons science and threat reduction within the Actinide Analytical Chemistry (C-AAC) Group, specifically on the Plutonium Assay/Interstitial Chemistry (PA/IC) team.

Responsibilities

• Perform analytical chemistry measurements on actinide materials, including plutonium, uranium, and associated process materials.
• Sample preparation, general wet chemistry, bulk dissolutions, and solution aliquoting.
• Chemical separations, analytical method implementation and development, data analysis, technical reporting, and troubleshooting of analytical processes.
• Instrumental analysis using electrochemistry, titrimetry, ion chromatography, and UV-VIS (UV-Visible Spectrophotometry).
• Routine maintenance activities such as glove changes, bag outs, and other tasks to maintain analytical chemistry functionality in nuclear facilities.
• Work closely with operations personnel, technicians, scientists, and customers to provide timely and defensible analytical results.
• Handle Special Nuclear Material (plutonium and uranium) in secured buildings, requiring specialized training and qualification.
• Work in gloveboxes and hoods, using special PPE and respirators for certain activities.

Research Technologist 2

• Prepare reagents and perform general lab tasks, including extensive sample preparation.
• Dissolution of actinide materials.
• Operate instruments for actinide analyses.
• Follow approved written procedures and guidelines.
• Complete and maintain extensive radiological laboratory training requirements.
• Work in a team environment.
• Work with radioactive materials in gloveboxes in a nuclear facility.
• Independently operate, maintain, and troubleshoot/repair a variety of instrumentation.
• Understand and implement a variety of QA/QC methods and protocols.
• Review data collection, record keeping, and report generation for compliance with protocols.
• Maintain, improve, and streamline work execution in collaboration with others on the team.
• Identify and recommend solutions to problems affecting project requirements.

Research Technologist 3

• Perform routine, unsupervised measurements and data evaluations associated with PA/IC team activities.
• Maintain robust adherence to QA/QC requirements of accuracy and precision for PA/IC team tasks.
• Independently execute analytical work while contributing to larger team objectives and customer deliverables.
• Identify and implement process improvements that enhance measurement quality, efficiency, and turnaround time.
• Communicate technical results effectively to subject matter experts, customers, collaborators, and line management.
• Work effectively in a collaborative team environment with changing priorities.
• Effective oral and written communications with various collaborating teams.

Requirements

• Experience working in a chemistry laboratory setting with corrosive and hazardous chemicals.
• Knowledge of implementation of required safety, security, and quality assurance practices, including calibration concepts and protocols.
• Ability to work successfully in a team environment and exhibit collaborative behavior.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment, including a full-face respirator.
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which usually requires US citizenship.
• Ability and willingness to perform work in a rigorously controlled work environment utilizing the principles of formality of operations and work authorization.
• Ability to follow procedures and guidelines in accordance with stringent quality assurance and quality control requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with data collection, record keeping, and report generation.

Additional Requirements for Research Technologist 3

• Advanced knowledge of analytical techniques.
• Experience working in a laboratory environment with nuclear material.

Qualifications

Education/Experience at Research Technologist 2 Level

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and five years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

Education/Experience at Research Technologist 3 Level

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and eight years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation.

DOE Order 426.2a: Requires High School Diploma (or equivalent, i.e., GED).

Skills

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in a nuclear facility.
• Experience working in a highly regulated work environment.
• Experience using various personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirator work.
• Experience performing plutonium assay measurement and/or analytical characterization of actinide materials.
• Experience with wet chemistry analytical techniques including titrimetric, gravimetric, spectroscopic, chromatographic, or radiochemical methods.
• Experience working with plutonium, uranium, americium, or other radioactive materials.
• Familiarity with nuclear material accountability measurements and associated quality requirements.
• Experience understanding and following QA/QC principles in an analytical chemistry production environment (ASTM, ISO, etc.).
• Knowledge of DOE Conduct of Operations and safety/security requirements for nuclear/radiological facilities.
• Active Q clearance.
• DOE Human Reliability Program approval.

Essential Job Functions

• Ability to hear in a normal range (500 to 3000 hz).
• Standing, bending, climbing stairs.
• Use of both hands, arms, legs, feet.
• Lifting 20-30 pounds.

Pay

• Research Technologist 2: $96,600 - $158,000
• Research Technologist 3: $106,400 - $176,000

Schedule

• This position may require extended hours which could involve working a shift schedule.
• Employees may be eligible for shift differential pay when assigned by their manager.
• Shift assignments are at the discretion of the manager.

Benefits

• 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).

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.