Laboratory Technician

Laboratory Technician

Requirements

• HS Diploma or GED
• High school chemistry and math
• 0-2 years’ experience
• Ability to pass a medical evaluation based on the Employee Job Task Analysis (10 CFR 851)
• Ability to pass a personnel entry exam
• Ability to wear required personnel protective equipment (PPE)
• Shift work required

Responsibilities

• Perform all work safely and with the utmost concern for the safety of self and other employees.
• Perform all work in compliance with environmental permits and regulations.
• Being continuously aware of radiological, environmental, safety and any potentially hazardous conditions and notifying supervision and affected organizations when changes occur.
• Effectively manage time and complete all delegated work within the specified time.
• Perform housekeeping duties as assigned to maintain safe and orderly workspace.
• Assist with preparations and restorations associated with ARL equipment work.
• Package, label, document, and handle waste for transfer, treatment or disposal.
• Participate in event investigations and supply information as requested.
• Operate equipment in accordance with procedures from manually operated levers, switches, buttons, joysticks, computer displays, touch panels, etc.
• Replace consumables, indicator bulbs, paper, and pens for instrument control and data management hardware.
• Operate the auto sampling system (ASX) including preparation and receipt of sample bottle carriers.
• Receive manual samples for analysis in the Lab or transfer to an offsite Lab for analysis.
• Breakdown, prepare, and transfer samples within the Lab for analysis.
• Receive, transfer, and stock chemicals (e.g. reagents, standards, etc.) and consumables (e.g. PPE, glassware, plasticware, spare parts, etc.) by warehouse, vendor, or other suppliers.
• Enter radiologically and/or chemically controlled areas in appropriate personnel protective equipment for assigned duties.
• Perform daily, weekly, and monthly required inspections, and support other inspections and/or monitoring teams requiring access to the Lab.
• Monitor facility and correct housekeeping and materials conditions and report those which cannot be corrected on the spot.
• Serve as a member of the Emergency Response Team as directed.
• Communicate facility system and equipment status to the assigned supervisor.
• Maintain accurate logbooks, data sheets and other historical data relating to instruments, equipment, stock items, or systems as assigned.
• Operate laboratory equipment per approved procedure or work package to include start up, calibration, calibration verification, sample analysis, monitor control status, shutdown, operator maintenance, troubleshooting, and assist supervisor, chemist or vendor with installation, relocation, exchange, major maintenance, or process technology studies.
• Perform routine general chemistry procedures including: Sample Preparation, Fusion furnace, Microwave, pH, Conductivity, Solids, Density, Molarity, Water chemistry (including test kits).
• Perform routine inorganic chemistry procedures including: Carbon, Anions by ion chromatography and ion selective electrode, Mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption (CVAA), Metals by inductively coupled plasma instruments (ICP-MS and ICP-OES), Isotopic analysis by ICP-MS.
• Perform routine radiochemistry procedures including: Separations, Gas-flow proportional counter, Liquid scintillation counter, Alpha spectrometer, Gamma spectrometer.
• Perform routine radioisotope separations including but not limited to: H-3, C-14, Ni-63, Se-79, Sr-90, Tc-99, I-129, lanthanides and actinides.
• Assist supervisor or chemist with method development, optimization, or process technology studies.
• Operate the routine laboratory sample handling and sample preparation equipment including pipettes, tongs, tweezers, scoops, furnace, oven, heater, electronic balances, filters, hot plate, stir plate, centrifuge, vacuum pump, vacuum box and fume hood and other required tools.
• Respond to alarms including high radiation on sample carrier, stuck sample carrier, ventilation, fire, radiation, contamination, low oxygen, take cover, and evacuation.
• Perform data entry using laboratory information management system or other approved software.
• Perform or support receipt or preparation and stock Lab chemicals, compressed gas cylinders, cryogenic liquids, reagents and standards.
• Respond to abnormal system conditions such as: power failure, ventilation failure, low oxygen, direct high radiation, chemical spill, liquid spill, and loss of contamination control.
• Survey and decontaminate equipment, transport items, decontaminate items and affected surface areas, remove decontaminated or bagged items from fume hood.
• Assist with preparations and restorations associated with facility maintenance and modification work.
• Communicate with the control area, other facility staff and support organizations to ensure safe, effective facility operations.
• Make notifications and log entries as required by administrative and technical procedures.
• Perform self-monitoring for chemical and radiological hazards.
• Perform or support operation and maintenance of Lab facility support systems such as argon, nitrogen, P10, helium, oxygen, and vacuum to include valve manipulations, gas cylinder exchange, and cryogenic liquid filling.
• Support the Waste Treatment Plant Nuclear Safety Quality Culture by emphasizing the values of safety and quality in the performance of work to protect self, others, and the environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• College chemistry and math coursework, AAS degree, or BS in science related field
• One year of radiological laboratory related work experience
• Previous experience working at a high hazard nuclear or chemical facility
• Previous WTCC experience
• Previous Laboratory Technician experience