The Australian government aims to establish 45 additional positions for operation of the nation’s planned National Radioactive Waste Management Facility.
The staffing plan comes on top of 15 operational positions already established, the federal Department of Industry, Innovation and Science said.
“With 45 jobs, the final workforce design and structure will be based on a number of factors including advice from security agencies, the views of the independent regulator and the details of the final business case, with inputs from across government,” according to a fact sheet from the department.
The new employment plan covers 14 security and safeguards positions, 13 positions in waste operations and technicians, eight positions in site management and community outreach, five positions in environmental protection and quality control, and five jobs in safety and radiation protection.
Positions announced in January 2016 were general manager, at least one additional administrative position, a manager and supervisor for operations, leaders for low-level radioactive waste and intermediate-level radioactive waste, and no fewer than nine waste technicians.
The Australian government is studying three sites in South Australia – one at Wallerberdina Station and two at Kimba – for its National Radioactive Waste Management Facility. The site would be used for permanent disposal of the nation’s low-level radioactive waste (now at roughly 4,250 cubic meters of material) and temporary storage of intermediate-level waste (656 cubic meters).
The material is the byproduct of nuclear medicine and research reactor operations, along with other activities.
