Senior Waste Characterization Specialist

at  Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR!

Education:

• Honours Bachelor Degree in Engineering or Science from a university of recognized standing or, membership in an Engineering or scientific professional organization authorized by statute to establish qualification for membership in that organization.
• Background in mathematics (statistics), radiochemistry, radiological engineering or health physics would be considered a significant asset.

Experience:

• Minimum 8 years’ experience in nuclear operations, specifically in the areas of Waste Management, include application of waste hierarchy concepts, Waste Characterization, Environmental remediation, Waste Acceptance Criteria, and Transportation of Dangerous Goods.
• Must demonstrate an understanding of radiation detection techniques, the development and application of radionuclide scaling factors, and be able to explain various waste processing methods related to nuclear waste.

Abilities and Skills:

• Must be able to interpret analysis results, clearly summarize conclusions and make decisions on waste consignment and disposition routes. As a senior specialist, must be able to identify statistical anomalies and/or erroneous results, analyze complex problems and develop solutions and recommendations following a logical approach.
• The Senior Specialist is expected to have strong technical and communications skills to provide guidance on technical problems, and to support the development of a team of professional and technical staff in the areas of Waste Characterization. This position would be expected to provide expert advice within the company and on commercial opportunities.
• Must possess strong technical writing skills and be able to produce complex reports on technical subjects.
• The Senior Specialist must be willing to stay informed of the latest technological and scientific developments in the field and make recommendations related to the improvement of Waste Characterization Processes to ensure we offer an effective and efficient service.
• Strong communications skills to influence and educate various audiences including operations staff of various backgrounds, clients, supply chain vendors, peers/colleagues and management.
• The Characterization Specialist is a subject matter expert to branch operations and activities to ensure we deliver the scopes of work we are contracted to do by customers. He/she will need to utilize strong operations/technical and communication skills with a balanced appreciation of our business demands to play a key role on the Waste Services team to deliver success.

Job/Industry Specific Knowledge:

• Knowledge of Waste Management principles and practices including an understanding of waste hierarchy and how to apply it.
• Knowledge of Radiation Protection Principles, contamination control and how to apply these to work activities is required. Characterization Specialists are expected to achieve a minimum Group 3 certification while in role.
• An understanding of various radiation measurement instrumentation including various gamma spectroscopy instruments (in field and in shop), X-Ray Fluorescence, etc and various analytical techniques (eg. Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure) and when to use them. Understanding the limits of such instruments, how to read and interpret data output from these instruments and being able to factor in uncertainty in the analysis is essential. This knowledge is required to provide sound justification for the characterization methods used and the resulting recommendations for waste disposition.
• A strong knowledge of waste characterization techniques and industry best practices including US EPA Data Quality Objectives (DQO) Process and MARSSIM principles is required as well as knowledge and understanding of the Canadian Standards Association N292 ‘General Principles for the Management of Radioactive Waste’, Canadian Nuclear Safety Act Regulations, IAEA Standards, as well as related provincial regulations including but not limited to PCB regulations, Federal Halocarbon Regulations, Canadian Environmental Protections Act, etc.

• General Accountabilities associated with this position are as follows:
• Be the technical/operational lead in the development of new waste characterization initiatives, oversight to established techniques/operations and continually seek alternatives to improve the way Waste Services plans and executes waste characterization in an effort to become more effective in meeting customer demand and company/regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical guidance to the team of Technical and Professional staff on characterization methods and processes, efficiencies, new methodologies, fingerprint application, and general knowledge development. This includes investigation of unexpected results and interpretation of complex data using past experience and comparative situations. Recommendations and guidance are technically accurate and feasible.
• Provide input into the development of schedules for characterization activities to align with mission milestones set out in the Annual Program of Work and Budget (APWB).
• Author, revise and review characterization/operational documents, (e.g., Data Quality Objectives, Waste Characterization Plans, Characterization Work Plans, Operating Procedures, Project Documentation and Training Plans). Reviews the work of others for technical accuracy and adequacy.
• Support the development and implementation of a site-wide database collecting characterization data and using this information to develop site fingerprints to aid in improving the efficiency of the characterization process.
• When required, support field walk downs of assigned job scopes, particularly with junior staff and provide mentorship in the coordination and monitoring of field activities related to Sample Plan development and the management of samples through chain of custody.
• Analyze data and use specialized software to present concise and accurate information to waste generators about the characteristics and management options of their waste.
• Manage priorities and become familiar with available resources to efficiently balance multiple work scopes.
• Ensure branch commitments are achieved on schedule and budget or better.
• Interface with a wide range of support service groups including, but not limited to: Industrial Hygiene, Radiation Protection, Trades staff, Waste Management Operations staff, Waste Program Staff, etc.

The successful applicant must be able to:

• Be innovative and action oriented while adhering to safety, regulatory and client requirements and demands.
• Be willing to travel to CNL sites outside of Chalk River to provide technical support in the development and execution of Waste Characterization activities.
• Assess new project scope and define the strategic approach to characterize the waste stream to the appropriate level, develop sound Waste Characterization and Sampling plans, understand the limitations of those plans and provide oversight and guidance during execution to ensure quality samples are collected forming the basis of sound analysis.
• Must understand principles of statistical analysis and how they apply to this process.
• Must be able to read and understand Waste Acceptance Criteria documents.
• Understand and interpret data from testing and analysis (ie. gamma spectroscopy), and various laboratory capabilities for analysis of various radionuclides and non-radioactive elements in a multitude of samples (liquid, soil, concrete, etc.) and use this information to make decisions and recommendations related to waste processing.