Research Reactor Experiment Specialist

The Research Reactor Experiment Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and supporting experimental activities conducted at a nuclear research reactor and associated experimental facilities. This position serves as the primary technical liaison between reactor operations staff and facility users, ensuring experiments are designed, reviewed, installed, and conducted safely and efficiently in compliance with regulatory, safety, and quality requirements. The Experiment Specialist supports research, education, isotope production, and irradiation services while maintaining a strong commitment to nuclear safety culture.

The mechanical and nuclear engineering (MNE) department has 24 faculty members, annual research expenditures of approximately $6M, and an enrollment of approximately 850 undergraduate and graduate students. More information on the MNE department may be found at http://www.mne.ksu.edu. The Carl R. Ice College of Engineering is located on the main Kansas State University campus in Manhattan, Kansas, a vibrant, family-friendly city located in the scenic Flint Hills. Manhattan is the cultural and business hub of a tri-county area community of over 200,000 residents see (www.manhattan.org).

This position is On-site.

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a bachelor's degree and three years of relevant experience. Education beyond the minimum degree requirement may count toward required experience if deemed relevant by the hiring manager.
  The degree requirement ensures candidates possess the advanced technical knowledge, design principles and analytical skills essential for developing, testing and implementing engineering solutions. These competencies are typically developed and rigorously validated only through the comprehensive curriculum and experiential learning inherent in a formal degree program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Health Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field
• Master's degree in Health Physics or related discipline
• Strong knowledge of radiation protection principles and NRC regulatory requirements
• Experience performing radiological analyses and radiation surveys
• Proficiency with reactor analysis tools (e.g., MCNP, SCALE, PHITS, OpenMC, or equivalent)
• Proficiency with radiation detection systems (e.g. HPGe/gamma spectrometer, liquid scintillation counter, thermoluminescent dosimeters, survey meters)
• Ability to work effectively in a regulated, safety-critical environment
• Ability to pass USNRC background check and obtain unescorted access
• Must be able to meet requirements for selection and training of personnel for research reactors (ANSI/ANS 15.4) and obtain a Senior Reactor Operator License within 12 months
• Experience at a research or test reactor
• Experience with reactor dosimetry, activation analysis, or isotope production
• Experience supporting NRC inspections or licensing actions
• Strong technical writing, communication, and instructional skills

Additional Role Information:

• Ability to pass USNRC background check and obtain unescorted access
• Must be able to meet requirements for selection and training of personnel for research reactors (ANSI/ANS 15.4) and obtain Senior Reactor Operator License within 12 months
• Occasional duties outside the usual M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. hours, may be required to support reactor operations

Sponsorship eligibility:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.

Please submit the following documents:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• Contact information for 3 references

Applications close on: July 17, 2026

$75,000-$87,000