Requisition Id5428

Purpose:

The Advanced Reactor Engineering and Development Section in Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Nuclear Energy and Fuel Cycle Division is seeking a highly motivated senior R&D staff member to strategically advance the development, qualification, and deployment of predictive simulation codes, methods, and best practices for thermal-hydraulics analysis in nuclear science and engineering applications. The successful candidate will leverage ORNL's world-leading computing and experimental facilities and collaborate with world-class expertise in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), reduced-order thermal-hydraulics modeling, advanced data analytics, and system engineering.

Our Senior R&D Staff are scientific leaders in and beyond the ORNL community and help to define the future of their respective areas of expertise. This position works closely with the R&D line leadership to define and implement the scientific vision; establish capabilities that enable programs to excel at the forefront of science and technology; perform R&D to advance the field of knowledge and/or technology in one's respective specialty; set, implement, and model standards for performance of work consistent with Environment, Safety, Security, Health, and Quality (ESH&Q) requirements and business rules; effectively mentor future generations of researchers; and ensure a diverse and inclusive work environment where every employee feels safe, heard, and appreciated-a workplace that sets an example for the broader community. The incumbent will work with and lead scientists and engineers at the US Department of Energy (DOE),other DOE laboratories, the Nuclear Regulatory Commision, international collaborators, and industrial partners.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as a Principal Investigator, pursuing innovations in multi-scale thermal-hydraulics and CFD research to reduce barriers to deploying new nuclear energy technologies.


• Support the alignment of existing thermal-hydraulic programs and define future pathways for thermal-hydraulic development and analysis, leveraging expertise in advanced thermal-hydraulic methods and high-performance computing to solve problems of national importance.


• Initiate, plan and execute high-impact R&D programs and projects, working with project sponsors, research staff, operations staff, and external collaborators to identify and implement state-of-the-art solutions to the most complex thermal/fluid problems.


• Mentor early career staff to establish a cohesive, functional group and expand the overall capability of ORNL to engage in nuclear power design and construction programs.


• Advance the reputation and standing of the group by establishing collaborations, professional society leadership and involvement, and organization of technical events.


• Exemplify a commitment to excellence in research, operations, and community engagement, and work cooperatively to leverage scientific capabilities across ORNL.

Minimum Requirements:

• Ph.D. in nuclear, mechanical, or chemical engineering or related field with at least ten years of post-graduate experience in CFD, nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics, and safety analysis.


• Strong research record of application and development of high-fidelity CFD methodologies and reduced-order thermal-hydraulics codes to solve complex high-consequence problems, emphasizing development and application of software for low Mach number internal flows and heat transfer in complex geometries.


• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a clearance from the US Department of Energy. As such, this position is a Workplace Substance Abuse (WSAP) testing designated position. WSAP positions require passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong fundamental understanding of single and multiphase turbulent fluid flow and conjugate heat transfer phenomena.


• Experience in CFD model validation, software implementation, and software quality assurance and closure model development, with a background in applied software development in FORTRAN, C, C++, or other languages.


• Experience with CFD workflows for simulation of complex flow and heat transfer fields in challenging real-world geometries; familiarity with commercial CFD environments such as STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Workbench, or COMSOL Multiphysics.


• Experience using parallel Linux computing platforms, parallel job submission scripts, standard software repository tools, parallel visualization software, and uncertainty quantification approaches such as those found in Dakota or Raven.


• Excellent verbal, presentation, and written communication skills enabling effective interaction with technical peers, program managers, and sponsors.


• Ability to lead a multidisciplinary research team, assure product quality, and thoroughly document the work performed.


• Ability to effectively interface with project managers and sponsors, identify funding opportunities, and lead significant multi-institution proposals.

Moving can be overwhelming and expensive. UT-Battelle offers a generous relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions. If invited to interview, be sure to ask your Recruiter (Talent Acquisition Partner) for details.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the "About" tab atjobs.ornl.gov

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.