Manufacturing Engineer at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL)

Can you see yourself helping reinvent how the world produces life-saving medical isotopes? At Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), our Chalk River team is building a first-of-its-kind production system for next-generation isotopes like actinium-225 (Ac-225) and radium-226 (Ra-226). As a Manufacturing Engineer, you’ll turn cutting-edge research into real-world impact — designing automation, improving reliability, and helping deliver breakthrough cancer treatments to patients around the globe. Does this sound like you, apply today!

What will you be doing! 

• Supporting technology transfer from development through to production scale.
• Taking radical ideas from the lab and engineering them into production-ready workflows.
• Designing for manufacturability at every step — your solutions must scale, survive radiation, and run reliably.
• Analyzing and implementing solutions for inefficiencies and bottlenecks.
• Applying Lean/Six Sigma and inventing new ways to boost throughput and cut costs.
• Automating wherever possible, using robotics and AI-driven workflows in hot cells.
• Refining requirements, deleting processes, optimizing, and automating.
• Identifying, defining, and tracking meaningful KPIs that ensure output trajectories are being relentlessly pursued.
• Participating in continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, safety, and product quality.
• Developing preventative maintenance strategies and reliability programs for critical systems.
• Anticipating and resolving equipment challenges to ensure high-uptime production.
• Guiding the integration and qualification of new tools, automation, and remote handling technologies.
• Developing preventative maintenance systems that keep production running around the clock.
• Championing integration of next-gen automation and reliability upgrades.
• Performing mean-time-to-failure of critical components to inform critical spares inventory and systems that require preventative maintenance.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams (QA/QC, R&D, Reg. Affairs, Ops) to ensure product quality and compliance.
• Creating GMP-compliant documentation that enables speed without compromising safety.
• Supporting validation and hazard analysis to ensure processes meet strict nuclear and health standards.
• Inspiring operators, engineers, and technicians by showing what’s possible when manufacturing is pushed to its limits.
• Using listening skills to obtain feedback and innovative ideas from all colleagues: recognizing that inspiration can come from anyone, especially front-line operators who use your designs daily. 
• Sharing breakthroughs with leadership and partners — setting the standard for isotope production worldwide.
• Using statistics to track efficiencies, uptime, rework, and costs, establish acceptable targets, and then monitor to improve those targets over time. Perform root-cause analysis if targets are exceeded, and develop and implement solutions as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned by your manager.   
   

What we are looking for: 

• Education 
  • At minimum, a Bachelor's (Honour) in Engineering or Science from a university of recognized standing; or membership in an engineering or scientific professional organization authorized by statute to establish qualification for membership in that organization. 
  • Licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario or eligible for licensure/EIT status.
  •  Advanced degrees (MASc or PhD) are welcome but not required.
• Experience 
  • At minimum 1-3 years of relevant manufacturing or process engineering experience.
  • Experience designing equipment for use in hostile environment, such as high radiation fields or harsh chemical environments. 
  • Experience in process engineering would be considered an asset.
  • Experience in nuclear, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments is an asset.
  • Experience with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), validation, and quality systems is an asset.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 
  • Strong interest in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
  • Proficiency in scaling laboratory processes into robust manufacturing workflows.
  • Ability to optimize yield, reduce cost, and improve process reliability.
  • Knowledge of automation, robotics, or remote handling technologies is an asset.
  • Ability to identify bottlenecks and implement logistical and workflow improvements.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to maintain an innovative and creative mindset.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • General computer literacy (MS Office) and familiarity with process modelling and simulation tools.
  • Knowledge of basic principles of radiochemistry and isotope production pathways.
  • Familiarity with radiation safety, the ALARA principle, and safe handling of radioactive materials.
  • Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methods. 
  • Knowledge on how to systematically identify, prioritize, and mitigate technical and operational risks.
• Security Clearance Eligibility Required 
  • Level 2 Secret with 5 year SASC requires a minimum of 7 years of verifiable history in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and/or the United Kingdom. CNL implements security screening in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's “Standard on Security Screening” and the “Policy on Government Security.”

Working Conditions:  

• Moderate physical demands when supporting processes in hot cell or laboratory environments.
• Periodic exposure to radiological hazards, chemicals, and laboratory equipment.
• Requires use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and adherence to radiation protection principles.
• Travel to partner or regulatory facilities may be required.
   

Why CNL?  
Does working with a team across Canada to advance nuclear science and technology for a clean and secure world speak to you?  We're reinventing ourselves to be the pacesetters so we can lead the charge in solving the problems that matter, like building the next generation of clean nuclear and hydrogen energy solutions, developing new and better-targeted cancer treatments, and continuing to lead the world in environmental remediation.    

We offer a complete total rewards package:    
•    Paid time off (vacation, sick, floater & personal);
•    Benefits effective day one, that’s right, no waiting period;
•    Tuition support
•    and a pension!  

Do Our Priorities Resonate with You?   
•    Clean energy for today and tomorrow.
•    Restore and protect the Environment.
•    Contribute to the health of Canadians.  

Location:  

This role is a fully onsite role that requires the employee to primarily work at CNL’s Chalk River Laboratory site, with only occasional opportunities to work remotely, if desired by the employee. CNL’s Chalk River laboratory is nestled in the Ottawa Valley and affords our employees an area that is environmentally pristine with extensive forests, hills and numerous small lakes, all of which support a variety of wildlife typical to the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. Many surrounding towns, such as Pembroke, Petawawa and Deep River, provide you with unparalleled outdoor adventures at your doorstep! 

CNL is committed to providing an atmosphere free from barriers that promotes equity, diversity and inclusion in achieving our mission. CNL welcomes and celebrates employees, stakeholders and partners of all racial, cultural, and ethnic identities.  Read here further on our DE&I Commitment.

CNL also supports a workplace environment and a corporate culture that is built on our Core Values: Respect, Teamwork, Accountability, Safety, Integrity and Excellence which encourage equitable employment practices and career prospects inclusive of accommodations for all employees.  

CNL is committed to being an equal-opportunity employer. If you require accommodation measures during any phase of the hiring process, please indicate via our ATS when applying. All information received in relation to accommodation requests will be kept confidential.  

The Chalk River Laboratories site is located on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people. As an organization, CNL recognizes and appreciates their historic connection to this place. CNL also recognizes the contributions that First Nations, Métis, Inuit and other Indigenous Peoples have made, both in shaping and strengthening this community in particular, and this province and country as a whole.