Nuclear Materials R&D Engineer- Intern

Position Title Nuclear Materials R&D Engineer- Intern Job Summary This position is part of the Jacobs Space Exploration Group (JSEG) support to the NASA EM32 Advanced Metals Processing & Technologies Team under the Engineering Services and Science Capability Augmentation (ESSCA) contract to the NASA MSFC Engineering Directorate.

The following position involves nuclear fuel design and development to support NASA’s Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP) Program.

The opening emphasizes on research, design, and testing of materials of interest at elevated temperatures and under a hot hydrogen environment.

Essential Job Duties The primary responsibilities of the Nuclear Materials Engineer are to :

• Work with other researchers to create fuel development plans and execute miscellaneous research activities with other collaborators from DOE, private sector, and academia.
• Perform synthesis ofmaterials of interest for space nuclear propulsion including nuclear fuels, refractory metals, and ceramic materials.
• Comply with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) safety guidelines and protocols in radiological laboratories.
• Present research findings including scientific data to peers, managers, and outside collaborators.
• Ability to interact with non-technical audiences.
• Ability to write research plans and technical reports.

Qualifications (Education, Experience and Specialized Training)

B.S. Degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or Aerospace Engineering or related field is required. Degree from an ABET accredited university is preferred.

Minimum Requirements :

• Enrolled in and actively pursuing a B.S. degree in materials science, ceramics, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, nuclear engineering or closely related field (recent grads are welcome to apply).
• Typically, educational requirement is enrollment in a university or college program leading to a BS.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Desired skills and experience :

• Preferred Requirements :
• Enrollment or completion of Masters (M.S.) or Doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in nuclear engineering, materials science, ceramics, or closely related field.

Experience with high temperature furnaces.

• Experience with high temperature materials (carbide materials, ultra-high temperature-ceramics).
• Previous experience handling radiological materials (uranium).
• Previous internship experience at NASA centers.
• Previous internship experience at U.S. Department of Energy Laboratories (e.g. Idaho National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, etc.).
• Metallographic sample preparation (mounting, grinding, polishing).
• Materials characterization X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), etc. .
• Develop and execute design of experiments.
• Ability to write technical reports.

Physical Demands Requires sitting for extended periods of time in meetings with peers, management, and with our client at NASA facilities to discuss technical issues (10%).

Also, requires sitting for extended periods of time at a desk to write reports and perform engineering tasks (80%). Requires ability to use stairs or elevators for access between floors and multiple buildings at NASA and Jacobs facilities (10%). Skills and Attributes

General office environment (90%), lab environment (10%). Requires ability to provide clear, concise, accurate and timely communication, both verbally and in writing (100%).

Requires ability to interact professionally with coworkers, management, and client (100%). Requires travel in the domestic USA (

Normal workday is from 7 : 30 a.m. through 4 : 30 p.m., Monday thru Friday. Minimal overtime may be required (10%) to meet schedule milestones and to support technical demands of the job.

Regular attendance is a necessity and adequate arrangements for delegating duties during absences are required.

The ability to work independently with minimal supervision, and to make rational decisions, and to exercise good judgment is essential (100%).

Grooming and dress must be appropriate for the position and must not impose a safety risk / hazard to the employee or others.

• Requires ability to operate a personal computer, a telephone, fax machine, copier, calculator, and other general office equipment (100%).
30+ days ago