Principle Mechanical Design Engineer

External Job Opportunity

Title

Principle Mechanical Design Engineer

Position Number

41549

Company

Hanford Tank Waste Operations

City/State

Richland, WA

Location

200E

Posted

10/19/2026

Closes

10/26/2026

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Full/Part-Time

Full-Time

Job Responsibilities/Duties
The anticipated start date for this position is April 2027, subject to organizational scheduling and operational requirements.

Hanford Tank Waste Operations & Closure (H2C) leads the nation's largest and most complex radioactive waste cleanup effort. Every day, our teams work to safely remove, treat, and dispose of 56 million gallons of legacy tank waste at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington.

When you join H2C, you become part of a team dedicated to creating "The Solution Today for a Better Tomorrow." Guided by our Vision, Mission, Values, and Behaviors, we work together with integrity, innovation, and accountability. We empower our workforce, encourage continuous improvement, and celebrate achievements as we make measurable progress toward tank waste cleanup and long term site closure. At H2C, your work has a meaningful impact—today and for future generations.

H2C is seeking a Principle Mechanical Design Engineer to support the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) mission within the Design Engineering – Mechanical organization. This role provides mechanical engineering expertise to support design, analysis, evaluation, and stewardship of mechanical systems across DFLAW operations, projects, and facility modifications. Mechanical systems may include process systems, structural/mechanical components, mechanical equipment, and system interfaces essential to safe and reliable operation.

The Principle Mechanical Design Engineer is an individual contributor who collaborates with other engineering disciplines, operations, projects, and maintenance to ensure quality, compliance, and effective design integration.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Provide engineering support for mechanical system design, application, analysis, testing, operation, and maintenance associated with DFLAW facilities and supporting systems.
• Assume responsibility for mechanical engineering aspects of assigned tasks or projects, including development of design inputs, specifications, calculations, and technical evaluations.
• Prepare and review engineering documents such as calculations, drawings, specifications, technical reports, manuals, procedures, and design packages.
• Conduct field walkdowns to evaluate installed conditions, identify mechanical system issues, and recommend corrective actions or design improvements.
• Investigate engineering problems, develop alternatives, evaluate solutions, and provide technical recommendations.
• Apply mechanical engineering principles to improve system reliability, reduce costs, enhance performance, and ensure design compliance with applicable codes and standards.
• Develop or support preparation of technical scope, cost estimates, and schedules for engineering tasks.
• Problem-solve complex technical challenges using sound engineering judgment, established methods, and adaptation of design alternatives.
• Coordinate work with other engineering disciplines, operations, maintenance, construction, procurement engineering, and project teams to ensure integrated solutions.
• Ensure engineering deliverables meet technical, safety, and quality requirements and align with approved processes and configuration control expectations.
• May serve as a lead on specific engineering tasks and mentor less experienced engineers.
• Execute assigned work with minimal oversight, demonstrating ownership, initiative, and accountability.
• Maintain strong technical problem-solving capabilities and contribute to continuous improvement within the Design Engineering – Mechanical organization.

Required Qualifications
Grade 21:

Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering or related technical discipline; and

Twelve (12) years of related experience

Grade 22:

Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering or related technical discipline; and

Fourteen (14) years of related experience

Note the essential duties for this grade level are like that of the previous grade level, however the scope of responsibility is larger, and the expected level of performance is increased.

Desired Qualifications
Prior experience with DFLAW/DOE nuclear or radiological facilities, or similar process industries (e.g., chemical processing, power generation).

Compensation & Benefits
In accordance with the company's philosophy on compensation for exempt and salaried non-exempt employees, H2C takes into consideration a variety of factors when determining initial grade and salary to include assigned job scope and responsibility, a candidate's qualifications as compared to internal comparators performing in a similar role, and the external labor market. A salary offer will be made at the appropriate grade level and within the targeted hiring range posted according to these factors. Note a candidate's prior salary history will not be taken into consideration.

Hiring Range Minimum: $145,150

Hiring Range Maximum: $214,288

H2C offers a comprehensive benefits package to include medical/dental/vision, short-and long-term disability, life insurance, 401(k) with employer match, and paid time off. For a full list of benefits please visit https://hmis.hanford.gov/hr/page.cfm/HEWTBenefits

Depending on the nature of your employment with H2C, you can expect the following:

• A business casual dress work environment: jeans are permissible (restrictions may apply).
• Opportunity for work/life balance: a standard 4 x 10 work schedule, allowing more personal time to enjoy life outside of the office (other schedules and/or shift work may be required).

Note: employment at H2C involves working in the office or in the field depending on the role.

Relocation Funding Provided

Yes

U.S. Citizenship Required

Yes

Clearance Required

No

Job Classification

Exempt

Shift Work Required

No

As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, H2C abides by federal statutory requirements of 41 CFR § 60-300.5 VEVRAA Protected Veterans, 41 CFR § 60-741.5 Workers with Disabilities, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and state and local requirements.

These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, age, sex, and national origin. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Applicants and employees have rights under Federal and State Employment Laws and are protected against discrimination. To view information regarding these rights, please click on these links:

• Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
• Family Medical Leave Act
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act
• WA State Paid Family Medical Leave