Principal Nuclear Safety Engineer

Title Principal Nuclear Safety Engineer

Position Number 41529

Company Hanford Tank Waste Operations

City/State Richland, WA

Location 200E

Posted 10/29/2026

Closes 11/05/2026

Regular/Temporary Regular

Full/Part-Time Full-Time

Job Responsibilities/Duties

The anticipated start date for this position is dependent upon operational and training needs and could be scheduled as late as April 2027.

Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) leads the nation's largest and most complex radioactive waste cleanup effort. Every day, our teams work to safely remove, treat, and dispose of 56 million gallons of legacy tank waste at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington.

When you join H2C, you become part of a team dedicated to creating "The Solution Today for a Better Tomorrow." Guided by our Vision, Mission, Values, and Behaviors, we work together with integrity, innovation, and accountability. We empower our workforce, encourage continuous improvement, and celebrate achievements as we make measurable progress toward tank waste cleanup and long term site closure. At H2C, your work has a meaningful impact—today and for future generations.

The Nuclear Safety organization is responsible for establishment, implementation, ongoing maintenance, assessment and interpretation of nuclear safety processes, procedures, and standards. These responsibilities include: Safety analysis and safety basis development (including Documented Safety Analysis [DSA], Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis [PDSA], and Technical Safety Requirements [TSR]), the Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) process, the Process Hazard Analysis (PrHA) process, hazard assessment and consequence analysis, and criticality safety. The Nuclear Safety Engineer ensures the development, implementation, and maintenance of nuclear safety programs and safety basis documents across Tank Farms and supporting facilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Represent Nuclear Safety in control decision meetings; determine appropriate engineered or administrative control types.

• Participate in hazard analyses, control selection, and application of the hierarchy of controls.

• Support development of consequence analyses, frequency determinations, and technical basis documents.

• Maintain qualification as a Nuclear Safety Engineer and USQ evaluator.

• Apply requirements from 10 CFR 830, DOE STD 3009, DOE STD 1186, and DOE STD 1189.

• Develop and maintain procedures for PrHA, DSA/TSR development, and the USQ process.

• Identify and resolve weaknesses in hazard analysis, DSA/TSR maintenance, and USQ processes.

• Lead or support PrHA teams and safety basis changes for major modifications or new facilities.

• Conduct hazard evaluations and DSA reviews; determine USQ applicability and process negative USQs.

• Provide technical leadership for complex, broadly defined problems, including DFLAW specific challenges.

• Support planning, estimates, schedules, and coordination across engineering disciplines.

• Conduct research on new technologies/methods and keep management informed of relevant advancements.

• Serve as a consultant to engineering groups and participate in training, mentoring, and program development.

• Support a work environment centered on collaboration, innovation, and technical rigor.

This job description is not intended to include every duty, task, or instruction for which an employee is responsible. Other tasks may be assigned based on business needs and the department supervisor's request.

Required Qualifications

Grade 20:

Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering or related technical discipline; and

Ten (10) years of related experience

Grade 21:

Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering or related technical discipline; and

Twelve (12) years of related experience

Note the essential duties for this grade level are like that of the previous grade level, however the scope of responsibility is larger, and the expected level of performance is increased.

Grade 22:

Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering or related technical discipline; and

Fourteen (14) years of related experience

Note the essential duties for this grade level are like that of the previous grade level, however the scope of responsibility is significantly larger, and the expected level of performance is greatly increased.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in processing facilities, DOE facilities, or DOD facilities

• Experience with national consensus codes and standards

• Experience with Hanford facilities, DFLAW scope, or Tank Farm operations.

• Prior qualification as USQ evaluator

Compensation & Benefits

In accordance with the company's philosophy on compensation for exempt and salaried non-exempt employees, H2C takes into consideration a variety of factors when determining initial grade and salary to include assigned job scope and responsibility, a candidate's qualifications as compared to internal comparators performing in a similar role, and the external labor market. A salary offer will be made at the appropriate grade level and within the targeted hiring range posted according to these factors. Note a candidate's prior salary history will not be taken into consideration.

Hiring Range Minimum: $131,888

Hiring Range Maximum: $214,288

H2C offers a comprehensive benefits package to include medical/dental/vision, short-and long-term disability, life insurance, 401(k) with employer match, and paid time off. For a full list of benefits please visithttps://hmis.hanford.gov/hr/page.cfm/HEWTBenefits

Depending on the nature of your employment with H2C, you can expect the following:

• A business casual dress work environment: jeans are permissible (restrictions may apply).

• Opportunity for work/life balance: a standard 4 x 10 work schedule, allowing more personal time to enjoy life outside of the office (other schedules and/or shift work may be required).

Note: employment at H2C involves working in the office or in the field depending on the role.

Relocation Funding Provided Yes

U.S. Citizenship Required Yes

Clearance Required No

Job Classification Exempt

Shift Work Required No

As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, H2C abides by federal statutory requirements of 41 CFR § 60-300.5 VEVRAA Protected Veterans, 41 CFR § 60-741.5 Workers with Disabilities, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and state and local requirements.

These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, age, sex, and national origin. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Applicants and employees have rights under Federal and State Employment Laws and are protected against discrimination. To view information regarding these rights, please click on these links:

• Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster)

• Family Medical Leave Act

• Employee Polygraph Protection Act (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/eppac.pdf)

• WA State Paid Family Medical Leave