Project Hire: Nuclear Fuel Performance Engineer (AI/ML & Data Science)
About The Position
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Nuclear Science & Technology (NS&T) Directorate is hiring a Nuclear Fuel Performance Engineer (AI/ML & Data Science) to join our Fuel Performance, Development, and Qualification Department. Our team works a 9x80 schedule located in Idaho Falls, Idaho with every other Friday off. This is a 2 year project hire position. You will play an integral role in developing a next generation nuclear performance database that will transform how experimental data is accessed and utilized. This effort centers on organizing and analyzing experimental data for metal recycle fuels designed to transmute long-lived radioactive waste. You will lead data curation and metadata tagging while integrating computer vision and AI tools to create a structured, searchable database on INL's High-Performance Computing (HPC) platform. This work directly supports the development of AI-driven tools for low-latency, context-aware retrieval of experimental data and domain knowledge, enabling advanced fuel qualification and modeling.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Material Science, or directly related engineering degree from an ABET-accredited institution.
- Familiarity with nuclear fuel cycles, materials behavior, or irradiation testing
- Basic experience with data analysis, database systems, or scientific computing
Nice To Haves
- Knowledge of nuclear fuel development and fuel performance modeling
- Experience working with experimental data from nuclear materials testing or irradiation campaigns
- Familiarity with computer vision, machine learning, or AI model development
- Experience with structured databases, data curation, or metadata tagging
- Programming skills in Python, with experience using libraries such as Pandas, NumPy, OpenCV, or PyTorch/TensorFlow
- Exposure to Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) frameworks or vision-language models
- Experience with web-based interfaces or data visualization tools for scientific data
Responsibilities
- Assist in organizing and structuring experimental data from AFC irradiation and performance tests
- Apply computer vision and data processing tools to extract and tag metadata from reports and images
- Support the development of AI-ready datasets for use in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) frameworks
- Contribute to the design and testing of a web-based interface for data access and interaction
- Collaborate with engineers and data scientists to improve database architecture and usability
- Document findings and present progress to the AFC leadership team
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending Accounts
- 401(k) with a 4.2%25 employer contribution and up to 4.8%25 match
- Paid time off (personal leave)
- Employee Education Program (tuition assistance)
- Comprehensive Relocation Package
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
