Consolidated Nuclear Security, the managing and operating contractor at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants, is gradually revealing more of its vigorous hiring campaign to meet the challenges of additional work on a compressed time schedule.
Michelle Reichert, CNS’ deputy enterprise manager, issued a message to employees at both sites on Wednesday, explaining some of the drivers for the expanded workplace and how the contractor plans to proceed. Reichert’s message said CNS is hiring to fill more than 1,150 positions in this fiscal year, although that message doesn’t fully coincide with other reports coming out of the contractor (a partnership of Bechtel, Lockheed Martin, and others). Some reports indicated the hires would be spread over 19 months.
She said CNS has already filled a total of 507 positions at the two sites, apparently since the beginning of fiscal 2016, and looks to hire 300 more in the next three months.
The contractor executive said the added workforce is needed to carry out additional work scope ordered by the National Nuclear Security Administration.
She said NNSA is asking Y-12 and Pantex to execute a “greater amount of mission work” in the coming years. The plants in Tennessee and Texas, separated by about 1,000 miles, are both involved in the building and refurbishing of nuclear warheads, in addition to the ongoing dismantlement of retired weapon systems and recycling of some materials – such as highly enriched uranium.
Reichert said: “This increased workload will help ensure the safety and reliability of our nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, provide capabilities to draw down global weapons inventory, reduce the spread of nuclear weapons and terrorism, and provide highly specialized fuel for the nuclear navy.”
She added: “Pantex and Y-12 are two of our nation’s key production facilities, and we form the cornerstone of the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise. While we always look to maximize skill sets to meet mission needs, our future mission success also requires creating new jobs.”
Y-12 is trying to boost its processing activities in the 9212 complex to convert uranium scraps into a purified metal form for reuse in weapons or storage and other uses. The National Nuclear Security Administration last year issued a challenge, asking the Oak Ridge plant to increase its annual output to 1,000 kilograms of purified metal. That production level has not been seen at Y-12 since 1991 and the end of the Cold War.
CNS has indicated that it plans, where possible, to hire workers at other DOE or Defense Department sites who already have security clearances. The NNSA contractor noted that Y-12 and Pantex have historically close ties with the local communities to support the government’s employment needs for national security programs.
“CNS will continue this approach and work to hire locally whenever possible by conducting local hiring events, attending local and regional job fairs, and posting job opportunities throughout traditional and online media,” the contractor stated.
Reichert said CNS is “making solid strides” in hiring and training the workforce to meet mission needs for the future. “The interest in job postings and progress in hiring at Pantex and Y-12 are evidence that our recruiting efforts are getting results and that the significance of the national security work done at Pantex and Y-12 is important to prospective employees,” she said.
With an increased workforce, Reichert said, “a greater need exists to invest resources gained or saved through transformation activities to modernize existing facilities, improve infrastructure and provide training and capabilities to perform our critical mission.”
