Reichert: CNS hiring for more than 1,150 positions this fiscal year

From CNS Connect with Michelle Reichert

The NNSA is planning for Pantex and Y-12 to perform a greater amount of mission work in the upcoming years. 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.

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 your valuable skill sets to meet mission needs, our future mission success also requires creating new jobs.

As Morgan (Smith) mentioned when he shared the 9 in 90 list, we are completing the study and implementing the plan to address increased demand for our products and services in Fiscal Year 2017 and beyond. As a result of this plan, CNS is hiring for more than 1,150 positions this fiscal year. These new employees will include production, operations, and trades workers; security personnel; and science, engineering, and technology professionals, totaling 650 positions at Pantex and 500 positions at Y-12. To date (as of early March), we have successfully filled 507 positions. As part of our 9 in 90 Plan, we are striving to fill 300 positions within the next few months.

In an effort to achieve our workforce growth goals, we are employing three fundamental principles:

1. retain and develop our talented workforce;
2. partner with our local communities and businesses; and
3. seek qualified candidates with similar industry experience.

Retain and develop our talented workforce—We must leverage your talents, collectively embrace new ideas and innovation, and ensure you have the development and training opportunities needed to support  increased mission needs. The U.S. nuclear deterrent relies on our workforce and our facilities to handle, assemble, and maintain the weapons stockpile. Nobody understands that better than “Pantexans” and “Y-12ers” already performing the work. And likewise, with an increased workforce, 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.

Partner with our local communities and businesses—We at Pantex and Y-12 have a proud tradition of accessing the talents of local residents and small businesses to meet our national security mission. 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 through traditional and online media. In addition, we will continue our robust recruiting programs with local universities and colleges as well as summer internship opportunities.

Seek qualified candidates with similar industry experience—We are seeking qualified career professionals with valuable nuclear operations experience, yet will continue to balance that with the successful local hiring we’ve had to date. CNS is attending hiring events and job fairs in communities where workers are actively pursuing employment opportunities.

CNS is making solid strides in retaining, hiring, and training our workforce to ensure we meet our growing mission requirements for upcoming fiscal years. 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.

Editor’s note: CNS will participate in a job fair on Thursday, April 28, at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex. It’s hosted by the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce.

Michelle Reichert is deputy enterprise manager for Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, which manages and operates the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, for the NNSA, or National Nuclear Security Administration.

Morgan Smith is CNS president and chief executive officer.