Some of the highest paying employers in the Tri-Cities area are seeking candidates for 1,700 positions.
Ministry of Energy and its contractors in Hanford Nuclear Reservation near Richland are holding a virtual job fair for all skill levels on December 7 and 8.
DOE projects, which include both Hanford and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, account for about 11.3% of jobs in Benton and Franklin counties. But they pay about 23.4% of all wages in the two counties, according to the Tri-Cities Development Council.
The Department of Energy and its contractor leaders met in April 2019 to develop job projections for the next five to ten years.
They determined that about 1,500 to 1,700 people would need to be hired over the next five years due to retirements, normal attrition and new operations and programs.
Some of the hiring going on now and in the near future is about getting started 24/7 Hanford vitrification plan operationst, which is preparing to start handling low-level radioactive waste by the end of 2023.
Hanford was used from World War II through the Cold War to produce about two-thirds of the plutonium for the nation’s nuclear weapons program. About $2.5 billion a year is now spent on cleaning up radioactive and chemical waste and contamination at the eastern Washington site.
Job openings include positions in Richland as well as at the Hanford site.
Hanford held its first virtual job fair in February. About 1,500 people registered and 1,100 people visited the fair, which exceeded expectations.
As a result, the upcoming job fair has been extended to two days. It will be held both days from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Register for the job fair
During the fair, registrants will have one-on-one sessions to speak one-on-one on camera with DOE and contractor representatives.
They will need to fill out an online form in advance and upload a resume.
A wide range of jobs are available, including some that do not require a college degree. They include clerical and labor positions. Students interested in internships can also learn more and apply at the job fair.
The Department of Energy and its contractors are also seeking attorneys, contract specialists, data analysts, engineers, finance professionals, firefighters, health physicists, supervisors, physical scientists, project managers, registered nurses and truck drivers, and other workers. .
To register for the job fair on Wednesday, December 7, go to bit.ly/3hyxRBO.
To register for the following day, Thursday, December 8, go to bit.ly/3A2hgfL.
Information about participating employers and their vacancies will be available when you register for the job fair. Employers include the federal government, Hanford Environmental Cleanup Contractors, a vitrification plant contractor, a Hanford laboratory contractor, a Hanford facility management contractor, and a Hanford healthcare provider.
Together, they employ about 10,000 workers, while subcontractors do not participate in job fairs by hiring additional workers.
This story was originally published November 30, 2022 11:20 am.
