Senior Analytical Chemist

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications – all for significant human health benefits.”

TerraPower is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced nuclear reactor research and development and influencing change within the nuclear power landscape and bringing forward the critical production of medical isotopes. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Senior Analytical Chemist

TerraPower, LLC is committed to delivering transformative nuclear technologies that provide safe, cost-effective, and carbon-free energy solutions, supporting global decarbonization goals. The Natrium program is a cornerstone of this effort, and we are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Analytical Chemist to join our team.

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the analytical foundation of the Natrium advanced reactor program. As a member of the Natrium Central Chemistry team, you will be directly responsible for advancing the chemical understanding of Natrium systems and processes and for developing robust analytical and experimental capabilities that support the characterization and chemistry control of sodium, solar salt, fuel/material-related samples, cover gas, and other Natrium process streams.

Reporting to the Natrium Central Chemistry Discipline Senior Manager, you will serve as both a technical leader and hands-on contributor, designing experiments, developing robust analytical methodologies, setting up and operating laboratory equipment, analyzing and interpreting experimental data, and providing critical data that underpins reactor safety, materials performance, chemistry control, and operational readiness. The position requires deep technical expertise, strong experimental judgment, and a strong collaborative spirit to interface effectively with colleagues across design, operations, materials, fuel, safety, testing, and safeguards teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of robust analytical methods and procedures for Natrium sample characterization, including ICP-MS, ICP-OES, gamma spectroscopy where applicable, and other relevant techniques

• Lead and perform thermophysical and thermal characterization activities using techniques such as DSC and TGA, including experimental planning, data collection, analysis, and interpretation

• Perform and interpret thermodynamic calculations using FactSage, Thermochimica, or similar tools to support sodium, solar salt, cover gas, fuel/material, and impurity chemistry evaluations

• Design, set up, execute, and document laboratory experiments supporting Natrium chemistry, materials, and process-development needs

• Develop experimental approaches to address technical questions involving sodium, salts, cover gas, corrosion products, impurities, materials, and other Natrium-relevant systems

• Develop, generate, and review the generation and review of technical work products such as certificates of analysis/conformance, research reports, procedures, and publications

• Manage analytical scope related to measuring purity, and performing mass balance evaluations of Natrium-relevant materials and analysis of in-process samples for quality control

• Lead the development and implementation of robust chemical and analytical separation processes needed to produce high quality data from high-salt-matrix and other challenging Natrium samples

• Lead and support installation, calibration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of Natrium analytical instruments and equipment

• Take ownership of laboratory equipment and experimental systems, including development of operating procedures, maintenance strategies, calibration requirements, and troubleshooting

• Analyze experimental data, evaluate data quality and uncertainty, identify trends and anomalies, and translate results into actionable technical conclusions and recommendations for Natrium engineering teams

• Ensure laboratory procedures are developed, maintained, and continuously improved

• Maintain high standards of organization, housekeeping, and operational effectiveness in Natrium analytical and chemistry facilities

• Ensure strict adherence to site safety, chemical safety, and, where applicable, radiation protection and regulatory guidelines, working closely with health physicists, authorized users, and the RSO as required

• Promote a culture of safety in all experimental and operational activities

• Drive continuous improvement in analytical capabilities, safety practices, and team effectiveness

• Perform other general duties associated with position as member of the Natrium Central Chemistry team to ensure ongoing effectiveness and continuous improvement of TerraPower efforts

Key Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D degree in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, physical science, or a related technical field required; (Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience with a Master’s, or a Ph.D.)

• Experience with thermodynamic modeling using FactSage, Thermochimica, or similar software is desirable

• Hands-on experience with analytical characterization techniques such as ICP-MS, ICP-OES, gamma spectroscopy, or related elemental/isotopic analytical methods. Expertise in multiple techniques is preferred but experience with every listed technique is not required

• Hands-on experience with DSC, TGA, or other thermophysical/thermal characterization techniques is highly desirable

• Proven track record in analytical method development using relevant analytical or materials-characterization techniques

• Demonstrated experience designing, setting up, executing, and troubleshooting laboratory experiments and experimental systems including equipment installation, commissioning, calibration, maintenance, and troubleshooting is highly desirable

• Experience handling sodium metal or other air- or moisture-sensitive/reactive materials desired

• Experience working in gloveboxes, inert-atmosphere systems, or controlled-environment experimental systems is desirable

• Experience with chemical and radiochemical separations (e.g., column separations, liquid-liquid extractions) is desirable

• Experience with quantitative data analysis, statistical analysis, Python, chemometrics, or machine-learning approaches is desirable

• Experience with gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, gas analysis, Raman spectroscopy, or other complementary analytical techniques is a plus

• Experience supporting materials testing, corrosion studies, fuel/material compatibility studies, or high-temperature chemistry experiments is a plus

• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and execute technical work while collaborati