Senior Scientist

About the role

Mission Support and Test Services, LLC (MSTS) manages and operates the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Our MISSION is to help ensure the security of the United States and its allies by providing high-hazard experimentation and incident response capabilities through operations, engineering, education, field, and integration services and by acting as environmental stewards to the Site’s Cold War legacy. Our VISION is to be the user site of choice for large-scale, high-hazard, national security experimentation, with premier facilities and capabilities below ground, on the ground, and in the air.

Responsibilities

• Maintains, operates, and ensures calibration of a variety of sampling and monitoring equipment.
• Verifies monitoring equipment is functioning properly.
• Conducts Personal/Area Air and Gas Sampling as required per project (i.e. Beryllium, Lead, Noise).
• Conducts routine Swipe sampling and swipe sampling as required per project to characterize work/adjoining areas, release items.
• Coincides submittal of samples (air, swipe, dosimetry) to laboratory.
• Attends pre-job briefings per project, focusing on industrial hygiene issues.
• Observes and documents work activities.
• Evaluates and interprets results with regard to environmental, safety, and health impacts.
• Reviews results with other scientists.
• Works with staff and management to prepare technical reports and recommendations on how to correct hazardous conditions.
• Gains experience in the practical application of federal/state Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Department of Energy procedures/regulations and standards.
• Consults with supervisors and departmental representatives on safety and health matters to ensure that work procedures are in compliance with MSTS and governmental requirements.
• Recommends actions related to non-compliance and follows through to ensure corrective actions, as stipulated and approved by the supervisor, are implemented.
• Supports and encourages participation in MSTS environment, safety, and health initiatives.
• Will stop work if Occupational Safety and/or Industrial Hygiene requirements are compromised.
• Performs occupational-related studies, surveys, and investigations of construction and maintenance activities to identify potential health risks within the work environment.
• Coordinates and implements appropriate action to correct deficiencies.
• Plans, coordinates, and conducts surveys of work sites to observe work practices and conditions for health hazards.
• Determines the nature and magnitude of hazardous exposure and the effectiveness of existing controls.
• Prepares technical reports identifying health hazards.
• Manages, oversees, evaluates, or participates in various Industrial Hygiene-related programs as required by Mission Support Test Services (MSTS) and National Nuclear Security Administration regulations and instructions as well as all required federal standards.
• Investigates health problems that arise among workers, applying epidemiology principles and sound scientific methods.
• During planning and developmental phase, evaluates proposed new work processes or materials to ensure incorporation of adequate measures for prevention of occupational disease hazards.
• Participates in developing controls to minimize or eliminate actual or potential health hazards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in calculus-based technical (STEM) field plus at least 5 years relevant experience.
• Ability to build teaming relationships with technical and other company organizations.
• Executes work in a disciplined manner to demonstrate compliance with laws, codes, orders, and MSTS policies and procedures.
• Graduate research experience may be recognized.
• MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) and mining experienced preferred.
• Able to utilize judgment and follow oral and written instructions in completion of all duties.
• Must be able to plan/organize work to ensure all assignments are completed efficiently and within required time frame.
• Skill to read and understand technical specifications, procedures, and regulations.
• Able to record data accurately and complete logs, reports, and other written information.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate with all types of people in a tactful, professional, and effective manner while screening and maintaining confidentiality.
• Able to remember extensive policies, procedures, terminology, schedules, personnel, and other details.
• Able to deal with pressure of deadlines, frequent interruptions, multiple priorities, responding to emergencies/immediate requests, and working around hazardous conditions.

Pay

Annual salary range for this position is: $101,524.80 - $152,297.60. Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate education and experience and internal equity.

Schedule

The work schedule will be 4/10s Monday through Thursday (subject to change).