Sr. Safeguards Specialist

To apply, please visit www.jobs.pnl.gov and apply for 115613

Job ID: 115613

Directorate:  National Security Directorate
Division:  National Security TEchnology & Policy Division
Group:  Safeguards, Security Analysis & Operations 

Job Description 

The incumbent in this position is responsible for carrying out tasks related to the monitoring and verification of undertakings made by the United States and other nations under the Treaty for the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and other relevant treaties and agreements in the International Nuclear Safeguards arena, and for related business development.  The incumbent will reside in the Safeguards, Security Analysis and Operations Group and report directly to the Technical Group Manager as well as interface with the Sector Manager and Deputy Sector Manager of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs.

This is a full time position supporting the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs Sector.  The position is extremely diverse and requires a thorough knowledge of international safeguards, nonproliferation, and project management as well as frequent interactions with senior US and foreign officials.  The incumbent will be considered a subject matter expert in the field of international safeguards and nonproliferation.  This expertise will include the ability to recognize appropriate technologies necessary to evaluate the quantities of nuclear materials present at a given site and to detect the theft or diversion of that nuclear material.  It will also include knowledge of nuclear material accounting practices throughout the United States and other countries and make recommendations on how to implement these accounting systems.  The incumbent's expertise will also include experience in nuclear material surveillance, containment, detection and assessment, nuclear material control, and nuclear nonproliferation policy and international treaty negotiations and implementation.  This position will also require an in-depth knowledge and experience surrounding the Treaty for the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and other relevant treaties and agreements in the International Nuclear Safeguards arena.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

This position requires frequent contacts and communication with a broad set of senior US and foreign government officials and IAEA officials.  Examples include senior DOE management, US national security experts, foreign government entities, and Russian and US technical experts.  Congressional oversight and increased government scrutiny is expected.
Specific duties include the technical oversight and administration of multiple domestic and international subcontracts and extensive client interface with DOE, foreign governments and IAEA counterparts.  The incumbent will be accountable to the Sector Manager for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs and the Technical Group Manager for Safeguards, Security Analysis and Operations.  In this capacity, the incumbent will include execution of projects funded by NNSA as principle investigator or in a supporting capacity, especially addressing verification of plutonium materials in peaceful nuclear applications and in other situations as may prevail.  This will involve knowledge of nuclear material attributes, traditional and non-destructive assay techniques for determining nuclear material quantity, process monitoring methods, nuclear material surveillance techniques, nuclear material containment strategies employed at various nuclear sites within the United States and other countries, nuclear material detection and assessment strategies, methods and procedures for measuring nuclear material inventories and for estimating inventories in real-time, nuclear material accountability systems and practices, and related practices and governing policy requirements in both the domestic and international arena.
This position will require the incumbent to evaluate a broad spectrum of sites, facilities, LOFs, and undeclared locations which are known to contain or may contain nuclear materials and to evaluate the current level of safeguards, the attractiveness of the site to theft of nuclear materials, and make recommendations concerning potential upgrades resulting in an acceptable level of threat to the US government or other end-user entities, as stipulated.
There are a number of programmatic requirements, interactions and challenges unique to this position.  These requirements include close working relationships with a variety of DOE/NNSA program management staff, commercial contractors, vendors, and foreign government entities and other DOE offices and sites within the DOE/NNSA complex.

In conjunction with the Sector Manager for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Programs, the incumbent will encourage and support new business development and review proposals or new work statements.

The incumbent is accountable to Sector, Project, Program and/or Product Line Management for: 
* Managing assigned projects within budget and schedule.
* Engaging in proactive planning within program responsibilities; identifying opportunities for expansion of PNNL business within the international safeguards and nonproliferation arena; and identifying risks and possible courses of action.
* Engaging in proactive planning within program responsibilities
* Identifying and assessing new international and bilateral monitoring and verification initiatives to determine potential roles for PNNL and, where appropriate, to move aggressively to help define these new roles.

The incumbent is responsible to the Technical Group Manager for:

* Assessing new safeguards initiatives to determine potential roles for PNNL and, where appropriate, to move aggressively to help define these new roles.
* Providing performance information as part of the SDR process.
* Providing information, contacts, resources, etc concerning new opportunities within any PNNL product line.
* Technical mentoring of junior staff in the area of international safeguards and nonproliferation. 

Minimum Requirements 

Bachelor's degree plus 11 years of experience or advanced degree plus 8 years of experience.  Independent contributor.  Extensive experience in specialized field (or several fields through wide exposure and lengthy seasoning).  Command of theory and principles.  Considered an expert in one or several fields or disciplines in the organization. 

Qualifications 

This position requires strong project/program management skills, strong client management and interaction skills and a minimum of 11 years of demonstrated success in the areas of international nuclear material safeguards, nonproliferation and arms control.  A Bachelor's degree in an appropriate engineering or scientific discipline is required and an advanced degree is preferred or an equivalent level of education and experience.  Experience leading and working with multi-national, multi-laboratory or interagency teams is required.  Well-developed oral and written communication skills are required. 

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace.  All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. 

Other Information 

Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.  All Security Clearance (L or Q) positions will be considered by the Department of Energy to be Testing Designated Positions which means that they are subject to applicant, random, and for cause drug testing.  In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the requisite Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).

Note: Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy until non-use of illegal drugs for 12 consecutive months can be demonstrated.

Incumbent must possess or be able to obtain a DOE Q clearance.  The position requires travel to relevant locations within the United States and abroad, which may include Japan, India, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and regions of proliferation concern.  This travel will sometimes involve difficult physical conditions and potentially hazardous working conditions. 

To apply, please visit www.jobs.pnl.gov and apply for 115613