Contract Nuclear Waste Management Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Argonne National Laboratory seeks a Waste and Transportation Oversight Specialist to provide independent technical oversight, governance, and assurance for the Laboratory's Waste Management Program (WMP) and associated on-site transfer and off-site waste characterization, handling, disposition and transportation activities.

Operating from the WSE Division, this role evaluates and drives safety, regulatory compliance, and performance across the lifecycle of hazardous, radioactive, mixed, RCRA, Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA ), and Transuranic (TRU) wastes-from generation to disposition including accumulation, storage, characterization, packaging, and transportation. The Specialist works in concert with the Nuclear Waste and Site Services (NWS) division, Operations - Quality Assurance, Radiological Operations, Facilities, applicable programmatic divisions and external stakeholders (e.g., DOE-ASO, IEPA/US EPA, NNSS, CBFO, commercial TSDFs) to strengthen technical rigor and foster a robust culture of compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Program Oversight and Governance

• Provide independent oversight of waste and transportation related activities, procedures and processes to ensure conformity with DOE Orders, federal and state regulations, and Laboratory policies and procedures.
• Support and participate in periodic review of, and provide input on revision of, waste and transportation program documents, maintaining required review schedules with attention to conformance with relevant changes to requirements.
• Maintain cognizance of upcoming regulatory and directive changes and evaluate the potential impact in guidance with Legal, on the overall waste and transportation programs to provide updates to oversight plans and activities. Ensure communication of any changes and impact with the NWS and other affected organizations.
• Provide oversight and expertise to sitewide waste planning activities (e.g., future waste generation, projections, disposition pathways, and risk mitigation strategies for evolving waste streams).

Independent Assurance

• Plan and perform independent assessments, surveillances, and readiness reviews of:
  • Waste characterization (AK/PK, sampling and analysis, data quality and validation).
  • Waste processing, treatment, and packaging (including NDA/NDE and liquid treatment).
  • Waste storage, characterization, classification, accumulation, inventory control, and data integrity in waste management systems (e.g., WMS-U).
  • Waste packaging and shipping compliance and compliance with DOE carrier qualification requirements.
• Document issues, lead or support causal analyses, and track corrective actions to closure in institutional corrective action programs, adjust and plan for verification activities with the goal of ensuring timely and effective resolution.
• Apply, as applicable, NQA-1 and DOE O 414.1D quality assurance principles to oversight activities.

Safety Basis, Facility, and Transportation Compliance

• Monitor waste-related activities in nuclear and radiological facilities for compliance with applicable safety basis requirements (e.g., DSA, TSRs, SACs, LCOs) and movement controls as they relate to the waste operations.
• Oversee adherence to DOE and regulatory transportation requirements (e.g., DOE O 460.1D/460.2A, transportation safety documents and TSRs) for on-site transfers and off-site shipments.
• Evaluate compliance with DOT/PHMSA regulations (49 CFR) related to hazardous materials classification, packaging, marking, labeling, placarding, shipping papers, emergency response information, and hazmat security.
• Provide oversight of adherence to RCRA/TSCA and state documentation and shipping requirements and record retention (manifests, eManifest, LDR notifications, PCB shipments).

Regulatory Compliance and Waste Certification

• Assess program conformance with relevant DOE Orders; 10 CFR (e.g., 830, 835, 850, 851); 40 CFR (RCRA, TSCA, and related environmental rules); 49 CFR; 29 CFR1910; and Illinois Administrative Code Title 35.
• Partner with EPP to monitor RCRA accumulation limits, SAA's, CAA's, container storage conditions, inspection findings, and housekeeping standards in waste storage areas; ensure timely resolution of nonconformances.
• Provide technical oversight of waste certification activities to ensure compliance with applicable waste acceptance criteria (e.g., NNSSWAC, commercial TSDF WACs).
• Review and provide, as requested or directed, technical input on waste profiles, technical basis documents, isotopic distributions, hazardous constituents, and WAC conformance prior to certification or shipment.

Worker Safety, Special Hazards, and Training

• Provide support for and oversight of HEPA filter procurement and replacement activities based on applicable DOE standards and Laboratory processes.
• Verify implementation of training and qualification requirements for personnel affecting nuclear facility and transportation safety (e.g., DOE O 426.2, hazmat employee training under 49 CFR 172.704) as a part of scheduled assessment activities.
• Develop, contribute to, provide or participate in targeted training, lessons learned, required reading, and guidance materials to strengthen technical rigor and compliance culture across Argonne waste generator and waste organizations.

Reporting, Stakeholder Engagement, and Continuous Improvement

• Provide requested technical input and review for waste-related regulatory reports and submittals (e.g., Site Treatment Plan, hazardous waste reports, PCB logs, Tier II and TRI submissions, and air permit-related inputs).
• Support preparation for, and participate in, external assessments, inspections, and audits (DOE, IEPA/EPA, NNSS, CBFO, etc.), and assist in managing responses and follow-up actions.
• Contribute to development, review and maintenance of metrics and dashboards (e.g., training compliance, inspection findings, inventory accuracy, shipment timeliness, ALARA performance) to monitor program health and drive continuous improvement.
• Benchmark against DOE complex and industry best practices to recommend process improvements, risk reductions, and life-cycle cost efficiencies without compromising safety or compliance.

Position Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in nuclear, chemical, environmental engineering, health physics, or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in waste management, and transportation operations, or related regulatory/compliance roles, including experience with hazardous and radioactive waste management and transportation.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of:
  • Waste management, safety, and quality regulatory requirements.
  • 40 CFR (RCRA/TSCA), 49 CFR (hazmat transportation), 29 CFR (OSHA), and relevant state requirements (e.g., IAC Title 35).
• Some experience with waste characterization activities (e.g., AK/PK, NDA, sampling and analysis), waste acceptance criteria, and waste storage/packaging practices.
• Quality assurance experience, with NQA1 or equivalent, including participation in or leadership of audits, surveillances, or readiness reviews, and management of corrective actions.
• Knowledge of or experience with waste management and/or inventory systems; experience with systems such as WMS-U, ATLAS, or equivalent tools is desirable.
• Strong technical writing, analytical, and verbal communication skills; ability to work effectively across organizational boundaries and influence without direct authority.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in DOE-site waste management environment

• Professional certification such as CHMM, CHP, CIH, CSP, CDGP, or PE.

• Experience in performing audits and/or assessments.
• DOT Hazmat Shipper and/or 40hour HAZWOPER (29 CFR 1910.120) training.
• RCRA Large Quantity Generator and TSCA (PCB/ACM) compliance training.
• Familiarity with NNSSWAC, DOE complex waste practices, TRU waste certification processes, and nuclear criticality safety fundamentals (e.g., ANSI/ANS8.1).

Work Conditions and Other Requirements

• To perform the essential functions of this position successful applicants must provide proof of U.S. citizenship, which is required to comply with federal regulations and contract.
• Ability to access radiological and nuclear facilities (e.g., HC2/HC3) and wear required PPE; respirator qualification is required for field oversight activities.
• Occasional travel (approx.. 10%) to disposal facilities, vendor locations, and DOE complex meetings.

Job Family

Job Profile

Worker Type

Time Type

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

Click here to view Argonne employee benefits!

As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.