Nuclear@PNNL: NNSA Administrator Visits PNNL | Secretary's Honor Awards | Women's History Month

NNSA Administrator Visits PNNL

Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and her military assistant, Captain Phillip Sylvia, Jr., toured Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) facilities in Richland, Washington, and received expert briefings on work to maintain a reliable nuclear stockpile, support global security and stability, and address emerging challenges. At each tour stop, staff at PNNL described their research, important collaborations, and the impact to NNSA missions. Read More.

PNNL Staff Recognized with Secretary's Honor Award

DOE presented six teams from PNNL with the Secretary's Honor Award for their work solving some of the most pressing challenges in energy, national security, and grid modernization. This award recognizes federal and contractor employees for service and contributions to DOE's mission and for their creativity, drive, and commitment to projects that have significant and lasting impacts on the nation. Read More.

Curiosity and Courage Leads to Career in Nuclear Materials

Isabella van Rooyen, senior technical advisor at  PNNL, is an internationally recognized leader in materials sciences, engineering, and manufacturing for nuclear energy systems. She holds six patents with several more applications under review, serves on international committees and boards, and has received numerous recognitions in her lifetime. This Women’s History Month, she is sharing her journey and providing wisdom to women interested in paving their way into a typically male-saturated industry. Read More.

Napier Appointed to Radiation Protection Association

The Health Physics Society (HPS) has selected Jonathan Napier, an environmental health physicist at  PNNL , for a 4-year term as a delegate to the International Radiation Protection Association’s General Assembly. HPS is a professional organization whose mission is excellence in the science and practice of radiation protection. Read More.

Two PNNL Managers Complete Yearlong Leadership Program

Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program capstone event

Two PNNL managers joined the ranks of DOE Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program (OSELP) alumni at an event in Washington, D.C., marking the end of a yearlong immersive experience visiting the 17 national laboratories and considering challenges facing DOE. Chief Operating Officer of the Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate Amanda Stegen and Director of the Nuclear Nonproliferation and Security Sector within the National Security Directorate Daniel Stephens were members of the latest cohort (Cohort 6) to complete the immersive OSELP fellowship. Read More.

PNNL Research Makes Scientific Reports' Physics Top 100 of 2023

Research led by PNNL was named one of the Top 100 downloaded physics papers published in Scientific Reports last year. The article, “Investigation of interfacial strength in nacre-mimicking tungsten heavy alloys for nuclear fusion applications,” was one of 910 physics papers published by the journal in 2023. It received 3,404 downloads, earning the rank of 29th paper in Scientific Reports’ Physics Top 100 of 2023 collection, announced in March 2024. Read More.

Lab Director Shares PNNL's S&T Support for Hanford Cleanup

For many in the Tri-Cities area of Washington, “Waste Management” is name of the company that collects our household trash. But for a cadre of scientists and engineers at PNNL, it embodies a critical effort to clean up the legacy of decades of nuclear weapons production at the nearby Hanford Site. Read More.

DOE Awards Four New Hanford Tank Waste Projects to PNNL

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PNNL is leading four new technology development projects to accelerate the Hanford Site’s tank waste cleanup. DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) announced the program—13 multiyear projects across six national laboratories, with a grand total of $27.3 million in first-year funding—based on priorities set in the Hanford Tank Waste R&D Roadmap. First-year funding awarded to PNNL is $9.3 million. PNNL’s projects are:

Enabling High-Level Waste Sludge Delivery Through In-tank Processing in the Southeast Quadrant of the Hanford Tank Farms, led by Reid Peterson. Collaborators include the University of Utah.
Expand High-Level Waste Glass Processing Envelope, led by John Vienna. Collaborators include the University of North Texas and Washington State University.
Developing a Hanford Grout Modeling Framework and Property Database for Performance Assessments, led by Matt Asmussen. Collaborators include Washington River Protection Solutions, Vanderbilt University, plus Savannah River and Sandia national laboratories.
Real-time Liquid/Slurry Waste Sampling & Analysis: With User Interface for Comprehensive Data and Uncertainty Analysis, led by Amanda Lines. Collaborators include Washington River Protection Solutions, Spectra Solutions Inc., and Florida International University.

Nuclear Career Opportunities Across PNNL Research Missions

Materials Scientist 2 and/or Materials Scientist 3, nuclear waste immobilization and testing, apply by March 29, Req IDs 8647 and 8648
Computational Scientist 2, multiscale and multiphysics modeling, apply by April 2, Req ID 8833
Post Doctorate Research Associate, nuclear science and engineering, apply by April 7, Req ID 8686
Undergraduate Technical Intern, materials synthesis and analysis, apply by April 8, Req ID 8838
Chemical Engineer 2, nuclear waste processing, apply by April 10, Req ID 8778
Nuclear Engineer 3, components used in nuclear applications, apply by April 20, Req ID 8819
Deputy Director for Science and Technology (DDS&T), PNNL executive leadership role, apply by April 26, Req ID 8654

See full details on these and additional opportunities on the Careers website, search for “nuclear.” Join our Talent Community and upload your resume to receive updates on future PNNL job postings.

PNNL's multidisciplinary expertise in nuclear science provides solutions to some of the world’s most complex environmental, radiological, and national security challenges. Nuclear@PNNL gives readers a firsthand look at PNNL's focus on nuclear materials behavior, chemistry, forensics, and processing to advance nuclear energy, resolve legacy waste, and support national security. Each issue highlights the expertise of our researchers, their contributions to the nuclear mission space, and our state-of-the-art research facilities where discoveries and advancements are made.

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Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in sustainable energy and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit the PNNL's News Center. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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