Principal Scientist

The Remote Sensing Laboratory – located on Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada – is searching for an enthusiastic and energetic individual looking to join our dynamic emergency response organization that is responsible for supporting several national-level radiological and nuclear emergency response assets. The Nuclear Search Program (NSP) is composed of scientists, engineers, and technical support personnel equipped with specialized training and advanced instrumentation. NSP personnel stand ready to search for nuclear threat devices based on a variety of signatures and intelligence in concert with federal mission partners. For more information on the work done at the Remote Sensing Laboratory in support of a very important mission please check out this video https://www.ans.org/webinars/view-rsl2021/#_blank. 

Key Responsibilities

• Collect and analyze radiological data from a variety of platforms, and advise public safety officials on the consequences of a radiological incident.
• Utilize specialized tools and applications to calculate potential impacts to the public, workers, and the environment to support radiological emergencies.
• Attain and maintain qualification as an emergency responder.
• Serve rotating, on-call duty for approximately a third of the year, typically in one-week increments.
• Ability to deploy world-wide for exercises and responses, with as little as two-hour notice when on-call.
• Maintain training and ensure job-specific qualifications remain current; as well as attend onsite and off-site training as necessary to maintain competency.
• Assist in the development of company and emergency response guidelines, manuals, procedures, etc.
• Develop and implement corrective actions and lessons learned.
• Develop training materials and deliver trainings to emergency responders across the DOE community.
• Assist with the preparation of technical reports and recommendations.
• Organize, evaluate, and interpret data by comparison against standards and guidelines.
• Plan and conduct work requiring judgment in the evaluation, selection, application, adaptation, and modification of standard techniques, guidelines, procedures, and criteria.
• Maintain the ability to present analysis results to a technical or non-technical audience.
• Conduct testing and evaluation of radiation detection equipment and acquisition/analysis software.
• Provide expertise, feedback, and input into the development of improved radiation detection systems and analysis algorithms.
• Provide scientific guidance on projects involving an interdisciplinary team of engineers, software developers, scientists, and technicians.
• Operate radiation detection equipment in field operations.
• Maintain subject matter expertise and proficiency on detection equipment to instruct during courses, or offer troubleshooting during operations or events.

• Develop and design scientific and technical content for training exercises.

   

• Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor/Manager.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Health  Physics, Nuclear Engineering or a similar calculus-based Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) field, plus at least 9 years relevant experience. Ph.D is preferred. Skill building experience must demonstrate either deeper technical specialization or additional cross-disciplinary knowledge. Graduate research experience may be recognized.
• Experience with one or more of the following is highly desired: gamma-ray spectroscopy, operational health physics, and customer service and/or training development and delivery.
• Additional enhancing experience includes radiation detection, algorithm development, transport codes, programming, prototype design and testing, and training design or delivery. 
• Must have strong written and oral communications skills and must show a demonstrated ability to work on complex applied projects in a group atmosphere.
• Must have the ability to interface effectively with technical personnel from other MSTS organizations, outside organizations, and government agencies.
• Must be willing and able to perform work during non-standard hours, take on-call duty, and deploy worldwide on short notice.
• Must be able to perform critical job functions while under high stress environments such as those presented in real world deployments.
• Must be able to meet Company requirements for worldwide travel including medical physical and immunizations.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment on a wide variety of tasks.
• Working knowledge of Office365, Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and Outlook is required.
• Must be fitted for and qualify for use with various respiratory protection and personal protective equipment.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
• Must be able to participate in National Response Asset Deployment activities, including flight onboard government aircraft for missions and deployments.
• Must submit to immunizations for worldwide travel.
• Candidate must be able to obtain and maintain SCI accesses.
• The primary work location will be based at the Remote Sensing Laboratory at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, NV (RSLN).
• Work schedule for this position will be 4/10s, Monday-Thursday (subject to change).
• A pre-placement physical examination, including a drug screen, is required; MSTS maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.

• Must possess a valid driver's license.

   

MSTS is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants offered employment with MSTS are also subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. In addition, Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship, at least 18 years of age. Reference DOE Order 472.2, “Personnel Security”. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Department of Energy Q Clearance (position will be cleared to this level). Reviews and tests for the absence of any illegal drug as defined in 10 CFR Part 707.4, “Workplace Substance Abuse Programs at DOE Sites,” will be conducted.  Applicant selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation, required to participate in subsequent reinvestigations, and must meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. Successful completion of a counterintelligence evaluation, which may include a counterintelligence-scope polygraph examination, may also be required. Reference 10 CFR Part 709, “Counterintelligence Evaluation Program.”

MSTS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. MSTS is a background screening, drug-free workplace.

Annual salary range for this position is: $121,867.20 - $185,848.00.

Starting salary is determined based on the position market value, the individual candidate education and experience and internal equity.