Senior Nuclear Reactor Chemist

Job Introduction

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Fuel Reactor & Reprocessing area as  a Senior Nuclear Reactor Chemist. Within the Fuels, Reactors and Reprocessing area, you will be involved in investigating, analysing and resolving a range of technical questions relating to operational reactors (worldwide) and the UK’s new build programme. You will have a strong scientific background in chemistry relating to nuclear reactors and have experience working with the nuclear industry. You will be based at Culham, Oxfordshire, but may also be required to travel nationally and internationally.

Role Responsibility

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Delivering high quality technical work as required by our customers
• Development and application of chemical thermodynamic and kinetic models
• Providing support to customers on coolant chemistry, corrosion and radiation chemistry problems relating to water and gas cooled reactors

The Ideal Candidate

Essential skills/qualifications

• PhD in physical chemistry
• Knowledge and appreciation of the challenges associated with operational reactors, in particular relating to water reactor coolant chemistry
• Technical leadership including developing and leading experimental and desk based research programmes
• Track record of delivery of high quality technical work
• Good problem solving skills
• Excellent mathematics/computer modelling skills and the ability to apply them to solving complex chemical and physical problems
• A thorough understanding of chemical thermodynamics in relation to operating plant is essential
• Excellent reporting skills in both written and verbal formats
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Adaptable and flexible to deal with changing work loads

Desirable skills/qualifications

• Ability to mentor and coach team members
• Understanding and experience of how to support business development
• Ability to work within a commercial environment with understanding of delivery to customer requirements including time, cost and quality
• Experience of dealing with customers and working with them to suggest innovative solutions to their challenges

About the Company

Grounded in robust science and decades of experience, National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) is the authoritative voice in the UK and beyond for technological development within the nuclear power sector.

Our unparalleled understanding of the science, challenges and opportunities makes us an unrivalled authority and partner in the field, providing experts, technologies, and access to cutting-edge facilities to organisations around the world.

Harnessing potential technologies and translating them into to industry-ready solutions means our pioneering approach spearheads international improvement and technological progress.

We work on projects as small as drilling a hole to analyse underground wastes with our integrated micro drilling technology, or as large as developing state-of-the-art power systems for spacecraft, based on radioactive materials

National Nuclear Laboratory