TITLE: Chemical/Radiochemical Engineer - TPI
LOCATION: Everett, WA
The TerraPower Isotopes® (TPI™) division has been established to pursue medical isotopes development-advancing nuclear science for significant human health benefits. We seek to support revolutionary radiotherapies for treatments of various cancers through the supply of radioisotopes. TerraPower currently has unique access to a supply of thorium for the long-term production of actinium-225 in the growing alpha therapy market and intends to expand into other nuclear related medical treatments.
The TerraPower Isotopes (TPI) program is an integral part of the Washington State based TerraPower team, a company working to raise living standards globally. In 2006, the company originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field.
TerraPower is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced radiopharmaceutical applications and influencing change within nuclear medicine. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, as a federal contractor, TerraPower has instituted an Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) to proactively recruit, hire, and promote women, minorities, disabled persons and veterans.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering or related discipline from an accredited university and 5+ years direct experience with proven radiochemical process design, testing and commissioning skills in an industrial setting.
• Hands-on industrial experience with design, commissioning and start-up of commercial or pilot-scale process equipment and systems. Specific unit operations of interest include radiochemical column separations, reactions, scrubbing, evaporation, distillation, and electrochemical operations.
• Experience authoring process design documentation in an industrial setting including BFD, PFD, P&ID, system layout, material balances, radiochemical process simulations, and design narratives.
• Understanding of relevant design codes, standards, and best practices.
• Familiar with Solidworks, AutoCAD and/or AutoCAD P&ID.
• Mechanically inclined, with demonstrated industrial experience in assembling and troubleshooting process equipment.
• Understanding of safe working practices for chemicals and pressurized/vacuum systems, and direct hands-on experience working with chemicals in an industrial setting is essential.
• Prior experience designing, installing systems and performing acceptance testing for equipment that operates within nuclear facilities, radiopharmaceutical facilities, or radiological areas is strongly preferred.
• Experience working to quality standards on design activities, such as ASME NQA-1, ISO 9001 or cGMP design is preferred.
• Discipline, rigor, attention to detail, attention to safety, and procedural adherence are required.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills, such as those developed in fast-paced environments including the military, and other nuclear or radiopharmaceutical environments.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to handle projects that include many competing objectives and design constraints, with ability to resolve conflicts between objectives and productively generate engineering design documents accordingly in a fast paced environment.
• Experience working and communicating productively in a multidisciplinary team including R&D, production, quality assurance, and engineering design functions.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, able to communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.
• Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead or support the design and specification of radiochemical processes, including column separations, reactions, evaporations, distillations, precipitations, electrochemical processing and other methods related to preparation and production of radioisotopes.
• Lead and support design and integration of processes, hot cells and gloveboxes from requirements development through to final design, successful commissioning and startup.
• Develop engineering documentation to support system design, including conceptual material balances, process narratives, PFD, P&ID and system layouts.
• Lead and/or coordinate drafting of process or equipment drawings.
• Originate, review and maintain equipment requirements, specifications, calculations, process narratives, including conceptual material balances, process narratives, PFD, P&ID and system layouts, commissioning and installation plans, and IQ/OQ/PQ documents associated with the design and installation of systems.
• Participate in the integration of system with facility infrastructure and process workflows. Identify and ensure effective application of correct design codes into the design of facility and lab systems such as ASME, ASCE, ANS, ASTM, IEEE, NFPA, etc.
• Communicate effectively across TPI team, and with key stakeholders to support review of engineering designs, gather necessary design input information and respond to new and emerging data.
• Collaborate with chemistry, engineering and project teams during facility design and construction phases to ensure process systems, interfaces and facility requirements are met.
• Support trouble shooting of processes and systems on an as-needed basis, maintaining, and modifying systems, and coordinating across the TPI team to prepare and execute work procedures.
• Proactively communicate and collaborate with other TPI engineers, chemists and project managers to manage and resolve technical and project risks.
• Assist in developing procurement packages, communicating with procurement contract administrators, and overseeing fabrication and delivery of custom mechanical equipment.
• Communicate effectively with external vendors to review designs, maintain design documentation, manage timelines, ensure accuracy and efficiency of fabrication work, and support factory acceptance testing.
• Provide technical guidance during routine operations, preventative maintenance, and upgrades of systems.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering or related discipline from an accredited university and 5+ years direct experience with proven radiochemical process design, testing and commissioning skills in an industrial setting.
• Hands-on industrial experience with design, commissioning and start-up of commercial or pilot-scale process equipment and systems. Specific unit operations of interest include radiochemical column separations, reactions, scrubbing, evaporation, distillation, and electrochemical operations.
• Experience authoring process design documentation in an industrial setting including BFD, PFD, P&ID, system layout, material balances, radiochemical process simulations, and design narratives.
• Understanding of relevant design codes, standards, and best practices.
• Familiar with Solidworks, AutoCAD and/or AutoCAD P&ID.
• Mechanically inclined, with demonstrated industrial experience in assembling and troubleshooting process equipment.
• Understanding of safe working practices for chemicals and pressurized/vacuum systems, and direct hands-on experience working with chemicals in an industrial setting is essential.
• Prior experience designing, installing systems and performing acceptance testing for equipment that operates within nuclear facilities, radiopharmaceutical facilities, or radiological areas is strongly preferred.
• Experience working to quality standards on design activities, such as ASME NQA-1, ISO 9001 or cGMP design is preferred.
• Discipline, rigor, attention to detail, attention to safety, and procedural adherence are required.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills, such as those developed in fast-paced environments including the military, and other nuclear or radiopharmaceutical environments.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to handle projects that include many competing objectives and design constraints, with ability to resolve conflicts between objectives and productively generate engineering design documents accordingly in a fast paced environment.
• Experience working and communicating productively in a multidisciplinary team including R&D, production, quality assurance, and engineering design functions.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, able to communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.
• Actual position starting level and title will be determined based on assessment of qualifications.

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation. Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations. An applicant’s ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

• Motor Abilities: Sitting and/or standing for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 20 pounds
• Repetitive work: Intermittent
• Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work.
• Work Conditions: The work will normally consist of prolonged computer work, but will often require material inspection and work supervision. Must be sufficiently mobile to examine work sites and equipment conditions to include climbing ladders, stooping in small spaces, and work around radiation.
• Travel required 0-20