Geochemists
Location: Harwell, Oxfordshire; Warrington, Cheshire
Department: Waste Management & Environment, Civil Nuclear Business Group
Salary: Negotiable, depending on qualifications and experience
We wish to recruit a highly experienced chemist or geochemist to fulfil an important role in the services we offer our customers in the radioactive waste management industry. The successful candidate would be based in our offices at Risley or Harwell near Oxford. The vacancy provides an excellent opportunity for someone wishing to pursue a career in this technically, and commercially, challenging business. The candidate will be expected to make an important technical contribution to projects undertaken on behalf of our customers, working with our existing team of experts, and will be expected to develop business in this technical areas and in response to customer requests.
The Role
The successful candidate will take a leading role in the delivery of radioactive waste management projects. These might typically include studies for companies and organisations with interests and responsibilities for the safe management and disposal of radioactive and other hazardous wastes, in the UK and overseas, where expertise of the chemical processes affecting the management of such wastes is required.
For example, either working within a project team or taking the leading role in developing the conceptual thinking and implementing models of:
- How effective the properties of cements are as a barrier to the release of radioactivity from a waste disposal facility;
- The solubility of actinides and other elements in a range of chemical environments;
- The sorption of dissolved metal ions onto geological materials (such as clays);
- The corrosion of steels and other alloys such as are used in waste containers;
- The degradation of organic materials and how these affect the chemistry of actinides and transition metals.
Other important aspects of the work will include:
- Participating or leading expert evaluations of approaches to the packaging and disposal of wastes;
- Undertaking literature reviews in specific areas of interest for customers and advising on strategies for addressing key problems based on the output from such reviews;
- The management of software tools and databases that are key tools in the studies described above.
- Leading and managing specific tasks as part of the delivery of a larger project or taking the lead in the project management of a large project;
- Contributing to and potentially leading bids in responding to customer invitations to lender in the radioactive waste management and related fields;
- Report writing, presenting the results of work to customers, attendance at conferences.
The successful candidate will also be expected to support and mentor other team members with technical and business development activities.
Essential Aptitudes
The successful candidate will work in a multi-disciplinary environment on a range of technically challenging problems, and will possess the following aptitudes:
- Technically able and innovative;
- International track record;
- Excellence in project delivery (both technically and commercially);
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- The ability to work well in multi-disciplinary teams;
- Ability to take a technical lead;
- Adaptable so they can work on a number of varied projects at the same time;
- Capable of dealing with real problems in a practical manner;
- An enthusiasm for interacting with customers and for solving their problems.
Previous Experience
A successful candidate will have a higher degree (ideally a PhD) in chemistry, materials science, geochemistry or geology. The successful candidate should have a good knowledge of one or more of the following areas: aqueous chemistry of actinides and transition metals, the chemistry of cements and concretes, low temperature aqueous geochemistry, gas generation and corrosion chemistry. Experience in the development and implementation of computer models of chemical processes is required. Several years relevant work experience after leaving university is essential.
Remuneration
The salary for this post is negotiable, depending on qualifications and experience. We offer flexible working hours and a good pension scheme.
To apply please send your CV with covering letter stating the role/location you are interested in and quoting your current remuneration package to: tas.opportunities@serco.com