Senior Chemist (Radiochemistry), Advanced

About the role

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) seeks a Senior Scientist & Engineer with broad and deep expertise in radiochemistry, environmental chemistry, materials science, and advanced X ray and spectroscopic characterization. This role provides scientific leadership across federal mission spaces including nuclear materials processing, radiological environmental science, nuclear fuel cycle R&D, waste form development, safeguards and nonproliferation, analytical method development, and emerging signature science.

Responsibilities

• Lead research in radiochemistry, geochemistry, and materials chemistry, emphasizing contaminant fate, transport, and chemical transformations in complex aqueous, geological, and engineered systems.
• Design and execute studies integrating spectroscopy, scattering, microscopy, thermodynamic modeling, and complementary analyses to resolve mechanisms of radionuclide behavior, coordination environments, redox chemistry, and solid-phase evolution.
• Advance separation know-how through ion exchange, sorbent, hybrid resin, and novel material science methods, including mechanistic studies and performance prediction for diverse contaminants.
• Lead research on cementitious and mineral-based materials including hydration, aging, redox dynamics, contaminant retention, and optimization of contaminant loading and leach behavior.
• Investigate and develop surface coatings, fixatives, and engineered barrier materials, characterizing physicochemical interactions at microscale and macroscale.
• Serve as a laboratory authority in synchrotron-based X-ray absorption, emission, fluorescence, and scattering techniques, leading proposal development and multi-institutional beamline campaigns at APS, SSRL, and international facilities.
• Apply benchtop XES, XRF, XAS, XRD, SEM/EDS, and associated methods to characterize materials under radiological and non-radiological conditions.
• Develop new analytical workflows for speciation analysis, microstructural evaluation, redox state quantification, and chemical imaging of complex systems.
• Integrate experimental techniques with transport modeling, thermodynamic calculations (PHREEQC, GWB, GEMS), and data analytics (Python) to inform mechanistic and predictive understanding.
• Lead and support R&D portfolios for programs such as: DOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) – fuel cycle chemistry, waste forms, & separations DOE Office of Science – BES/chemical sciences/ BER/earth systems processes NNSA/NA 22 – signature science, materials characterization, & nuclear security Interagency programs and international collaborations in nuclear materials science DOE EM (as one of several areas), including groundwater investigation, environmental chemistry, and materials degradation science.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Radiochemistry, Geochemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline.
• 10+ years of post PhD R&D experience with national impact, including leadership of multi-disciplinary projects and collaborations.
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced X-ray methods, spectroscopic and microscopic characterization, and applied materials/radiochemical science.
• Evidence of national scientific leadership through publications, reports, invited talks, awards, and editorial roles.
• Strong peer-reviewed publication record.
• Ability to obtain and maintain security clearance, for which U.S. citizenship is legally required.

Skills

• Experience conducting or leading experiments at DOE light sources or equivalent.
• Familiarity with nuclear facility QA environments (e.g., NQA 1).
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, generate novel hypotheses, and lead new scientific directions, especially at the intersection of materials chemistry, radiochemistry, and environmental/earth system processes.
• Strong background integrating experimental and modeling approaches to test hypotheses.

Benefits

SRNL offers a competitive relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions. For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at www.srnl.doe.gov.