Internship - Decommissioning and Remediation Unit

Duration

12 months

Internships

The IAEA accepts a limited number of interns each year. The internships are awarded to persons studying towards a university degree or who have recently received a degree (see Internship web pages for further details).

The purpose of the programme is:

To provide interns with the opportunity to gain practical work experience in line with their studies or interests, and expose them to the work of the IAEA and the United Nations as a whole;

To benefit the IAEA's programmes through the assistance of qualified students specialized in various professional fields.

The duration of an internship is normally not less than three months and not more than one year.

Organizational Setting

The Department of Nuclear Safety and Security (NS) formulates and implements the IAEA's nuclear safety and security programme, which encompasses the Agency's activities to protect people and the environment from radiation exposure, and responds to the safety and security related needs of its Member States.

The Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety (NSRW) develops and maintains standards for radiation protection, radioactive waste safety, and safety in the transport of radioactive material that enable the beneficial uses of radiation to be used while ensuring appropriate protection of workers, the public and patients. It also assists Member States in the implementation of these standards and provides related services.

The Waste and Environmental Safety Section is responsible for the delineation of a global waste safety framework based upon the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, and the development and application of safety standards for the management of radioactive waste, decommissioning, remediation and environmental releases.

The Decommissioning and Remediation Unit of the Waste and Environmental Safety Section is concerned with the establishment and application of safety standards related to the remediation of contaminated environments, the decommissioning of facilities using radioactive material (e.g. nuclear power plants, research reactors, fuel cycle facilities) and the management of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) waste, in particular the residues and wastes from the mining and milling of uranium ores. The Unit provides leadership for services to operators, regulators and other specialized users involved in assuring safety in the decommissioning of facilities using radioactive material, the release and re-use of sites, the clearance of material and in assessing and advising on the safety of mine/mill tailings.

Main Purpose

The Decommissioning and Remediation Unit (DRU) in the Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety (NSRW) Division is looking for a motivated intern for the summer of 2024. The intern will gain international experience from experts on the back end of nuclear cycle with a focus on IAEA Safety Standards toward decommissioning and radioactive waste management needs of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and fusion systems. In addition, the intern will learn about programming in python for data science purposes applied to the nuclear industry.

Objectives:

• Research and analyse small modular reactors (SMRs) design and applicability of safety standards toward decommissioning and waste management.
• Research current fusion systems design to understand future decommissioning and radioactive waste management needs and applicability of current safety standards.
• Explore and implement knowledge management systems to streamline information dissemination and collaboration.
• Develop Python-based tools or applications to enhance query the safety standards, starting with back end scripting to front end.

Functions / Key Results Expected

SMRs

• Familiarize with the Safety Standards applicable to decommissioning and radioactive waste management.
• Categorize SMRs by design and link to previous experimental reactors and lessons learned.
• Identify decommissioning and waste management needs for improvement in safety assessment methodologies in relation with SMRs.

Fusion

• Familiarize with nuclear fusion, review current IAEA documentation, and databases for fusion.
• Categorize fusion systems by design, maturity, and waste generation.
• Identify decommissioning and waste management needs for improvement in safety assessment methodologies in relation with fusion systems.

Knowledge Management

• Investigate knowledge management systems and propose solutions for organizing and sharing information effectively within the organization.

Qualifications and Experience

• University Degree in Nuclear Engineering, Nuclear Physics, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Reactor Physics
• Strong understanding of nuclear engineering principles, particularly in reactor safety.
• Proficiency in Python programming language.
• Familiarity with safety standards and regulations in the nuclear industry.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Good communication skills and attention to detail.

Applicant Eligibility

• Candidates must be a minimum of 20 years of age and have completed at least three years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a first degree.
• Candidates may apply up to one year after the completion of a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree.
• Candidates must not have previously participated in the IAEA's internship programme.
• Good written and spoken English essential; fluency in any other IAEA official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish or Russian) an asset.
• Candidates must attach two signed letters of recommendation to their application.