Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is one of 17 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, with a mission focused on applied science and engineering to tackle environmental, energy, and national security challenges. SRNL began operations in the early 1950s during the Cold War as the Savannah River Laboratory, created to support the Savannah River Site’s production of nuclear materials for weapons. It was later known as the Savannah River Technology Center in the 1990s as its focus expanded to environmental remediation, tritium processing, and nuclear nonproliferation work. In 2004, SRNL was officially designated a national laboratory, reflecting its broadened role beyond the local site – it is the only DOE national lab primarily sponsored by the Office of Environmental Management. Today, SRNL “puts science to work” in service of the nation: protecting the environment, advancing clean energy, and supporting national defense by reducing nuclear threats.
Over its history, SRNL has built a reputation in three primary mission areas – national security, environmental stewardship, and energy resilience. It plays a key role in DOE’s cleanup mission, leading the Network of National Laboratories for Environmental Management and Stewardship and providing scientific support to all 16 active DOE environmental cleanup sites and 100 legacy sites across the country. The lab also contributes to U.S. national security through its work with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) – supporting a safe, secure nuclear deterrent (for example, through tritium processing and plutonium pit production technology) and developing technologies to counter nuclear proliferation. In the energy domain, SRNL conducts research on sustainable energy solutions, such as hydrogen fuel technology and advanced manufacturing for energy applications, aiming to secure the nation’s clean energy future. Since June 2021, SRNL has been managed and operated by Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC (BSRA) – a not-for-profit consortium led by Battelle with six universities – under a DOE contract, bringing renewed focus on innovation and partnerships.
Key Executives or Leadership
SRNL’s leadership team is responsible for guiding the lab’s strategic direction and operations. The lab’s Laboratory Director and top executives bring decades of experience from across the national lab system and industry:
- Dr. Johney Green Jr. – Laboratory Director & President/CEO, BSRA
- Dr. Green leads SRNL’s strategic vision and operations. He joined in 2025 from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and previously spent over two decades at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. A mechanical engineering Ph.D. and AAAS Fellow, he oversees SRNL’s $400M annual budget and mission growth.
- Dr. Tammy Taylor – Deputy Director, Science & Technology
- Dr. Taylor drives SRNL’s research agenda and safety culture. She brings extensive experience from Los Alamos, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the United Nations CTBTO. A licensed Professional Engineer with a Ph.D. in environmental engineering, she leads global security and R&D initiatives.
- Sharon Marra – Deputy Director, Operations
- Marra manages day-to-day lab operations and workforce oversight. With 35+ years at Savannah River Site, she brings deep expertise in engineering, chemical processing, and compliance. Under her leadership, SRNL maintains one of the best safety records in the DOE system.
(Additional members of SRNL’s leadership include Associate Laboratory Directors overseeing areas like Environmental & Legacy Management, Weapons Production Technology, and Global Security, as well as functional directors for research, innovation, finance, HR, etc. These leaders collectively guide SRNL’s multidisciplinary teams in meeting mission goals.)
Services and Offerings
SRNL applies its specialized scientific and engineering capabilities to a range of national missions, from cleaning up nuclear waste to innovating in clean energy. As an applied R&D laboratory, SRNL’s core offerings revolve around solving practical problems in its three mission areas. Key services and research areas include:
Environmental Stewardship: SRNL is a leading center for environmental remediation and nuclear waste management technology. It develops processes for treating high-level radioactive waste (such as the tank waste from legacy weapons production) and remediating contaminated soil and groundwater. The lab’s expertise in chemical processing and materials science enables it to accelerate environmental cleanup while minimizing waste and reducing risk to the public. For example, SRNL scientists have created innovative solutions for waste vitrification, groundwater treatment, and long-term storage of nuclear materials. As DOE’s Office of Environmental Management national lab, SRNL provides technical assistance and deployable technologies to cleanup sites across the U.S., ensuring legacy nuclear materials are safely processed and disposed of.
National Security Programs: A significant portion of SRNL’s work supports U.S. national security and the nuclear weapons program. The lab contributes to maintaining the nation’s nuclear deterrent by supporting the tritium production and gas processing operations at Savannah River Site (tritium is a key component of nuclear weapons) and by advancing plutonium pit production techniques in partnership with other labs. SRNL’s Global Security directorate develops technologies for nuclear nonproliferation – for instance, methods to detect and characterize nuclear materials, and programs to secure radiological sources – helping to reduce the threat of nuclear terrorism. The lab also has capabilities in cybersecurity and threat assessment for industrial control systems, given the increasing importance of protecting critical infrastructure. In addition, SRNL provides expertise in nuclear materials management and works with the Department of Defense and homeland security agencies on specialized projects (such as support for the U.S. Army Cyber School and other defense collaborations).
Energy and Technology Development: SRNL supports DOE’s energy resilience and innovation goals through research in areas like hydrogen energy, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing. The lab’s scientists are advancing hydrogen production and storage technologies and exploring new materials for energy storage, aiming to enable a clean energy economy. SRNL also conducts Laboratory-Directed R&D (LDRD) on emerging technologies, which has included work on next-generation materials (e.g., nanomaterials, battery components) and fusion energy fuel cycle research. A notable initiative is the Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC), a partnership effort to develop cutting-edge manufacturing and prototyping techniques that support both environmental and national security missions (for example, 3D printing methods for nuclear components). Through its technology transfer and industry partnership programs, SRNL offers its innovations and facilities to solve real-world problems in the energy sector, such as improving grid security and developing sensors for environmental monitoring.
SRNL is known for translating lab innovations into large-scale operational solutions. Whether it’s enhancing a chemical process for a waste treatment facility or designing a new instrument to detect nuclear materials, SRNL’s offerings bridge the gap between research and practical implementation. The lab’s multi-disciplinary teams (chemists, nuclear engineers, materials scientists, etc.) collaborate to deliver these solutions for DOE and other government agencies. In all its work, SRNL upholds a “best-in-class” safety culture, given the hazardous materials involved, consistently maintaining one of the best safety records among national labs.
Office Locations and Size
Location: SRNL is headquartered at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. The main laboratory campus (located within the secure SRS reservation) occupies about 39 acres and is valued at approximately $2 billion. SRNL’s facilities include heavy industrial and nuclear laboratory infrastructure inherited from decades of operations at SRS. In addition to its primary Aiken location, SRNL maintains an office in Augusta, Georgia, expanding its presence in the Central Savannah River Area region. This Augusta presence supports collaboration with regional partners (such as Augusta University and the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon) and helps attract technical talent from the surrounding area.
Facilities: The SRNL campus encompasses roughly 830,000 square feet of laboratory, pilot plant, and office space. Notably, over 200,000 sq. ft. are radiologically controlled laboratories and processing areas, enabling work with radioactive materials (e.g., uranium, plutonium, tritium, and high-level waste) under strict safety protocols. SRNL also has access to an additional ~60,000 sq. ft. of specialized facilities through leases and partnerships. Key facilities include hot cells for handling highly radioactive samples, shielded caves and gloveboxes, analytical chemistry labs, an atmospheric technology center, and testing facilities for materials and engineering-scale experiments. These extensive facilities allow SRNL to perform unique R&D that most other labs or universities cannot, particularly in the nuclear science field.
Laboratory Size and Staff: SRNL employs approximately 1,400 people, including scientists, engineers, technicians, and support staff. This number also includes over 50 postdoctoral researchers and numerous contract staff and joint appointees (university faculty who collaborate with the lab). As a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), the lab’s employees are actually employees of the managing contractor (BSRA) but work exclusively on SRNL projects.
The staff is multidisciplinary – spanning chemical engineers, nuclear engineers, chemists, physicists, computational scientists, environmental scientists, cybersecurity experts, and more – reflecting the broad scope of SRNL’s missions. Many staff members are long-tenured experts in their fields (given SRNL’s roots, some have decades of experience at SRS), and in recent years the lab has also been hiring new talent to support growth in areas like cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing. The Central Savannah River Area location offers employees a mix of small-city and rural lifestyle, with SRNL noting that most employees have a commute of under 30 miles along traffic-free routes to the site.
Hiring
SRNL’s hiring practices focus on attracting top talent in science, engineering, and technology fields relevant to its missions. As an M&O (management and operations) contractor lab, all job opportunities at SRNL are posted through the BSRA careers portal (accessible via the SRNL website’s “Open Positions” page).
Applicants typically apply online and may need to undergo background checks and drug testing as part of the hiring process, given the sensitive nature of the work. U.S. citizenship is generally required for most positions due to security regulations (for example, all interns must be U.S. citizens, and many full-time roles entail access to secure areas or information). SRNL and BSRA are Equal Opportunity Employers, emphasizing that all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to personal demographics, and the lab will accommodate individuals with disabilities throughout the application process.
Internships: SRNL offers numerous paid internships and research participation programs to build the workforce pipeline. Undergraduate and graduate internships are available year-round in a variety of disciplines, with projects aligned to SRNL’s mission areas of national security, environmental stewardship, clean energy, and science & technology. Internship openings are posted on the SRNL careers site alongside regular jobs. Students selected for SRNL internships engage in hands-on research under the guidance of a mentor – the program emphasizes professional development, networking, and confirmation of career goals through real-world experience.
Interns must be full-time students in good standing (from four-year colleges/universities) and meet eligibility criteria such as GPA and citizenship. In addition to SRNL-direct internships, the lab participates in DOE’s workforce development programs. These include the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program, which brings undergraduate STEM majors to SRNL for 10-16 week research appointments, and the Community College Internship (CCI) program for community college students pursuing technical careers. DOE interns through SULI/CCI work on defined research projects and many return for multiple terms or later seek employment at SRNL. There are also opportunities for graduate students to conduct thesis research at SRNL via the DOE Office of Science’s Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program. Overall, SRNL’s internship and co-op programs serve as a talent pipeline, and the lab often hires former interns into permanent positions upon their graduation.
Postdoctoral Programs: For those who have recently earned a Ph.D., SRNL employs postdoctoral researchers across various disciplines. Postdocs at SRNL join multidisciplinary project teams and contribute to cutting-edge research while further developing their expertise. The lab offers several prestigious named postdoctoral fellowships to attract exceptional early-career scientists. The flagship is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Postdoctoral Fellowship, a distinguished two-year position for “pioneering researchers” in fields aligned with SRNL’s core competencies.
Eisenhower Fellows are selected through a highly competitive process (requiring a research proposal and letters of recommendation) and are expected to push the boundaries of science and engineering in support of SRNL’s missions. Another is the Laboratory Director’s Postdoctoral Fellowship, which targets top talent to advance SRNL’s strategic goals; candidates apply via the standard postdoc job postings but are identified for this honor by demonstrating outstanding potential. Postdocs at SRNL receive mentorship from senior staff, and many go on to be converted to full-time staff scientists or engineers. The lab’s postdoctoral program, in partnership with academia, also allows some fellows to hold joint appointments with nearby universities, enhancing collaboration and access to academic resources.
Application and Interview Insights: SRNL recruits nationally, but also heavily from the Southeast region (leveraging its university partners like University of South Carolina, Clemson, Georgia Tech, etc.). The hiring process timeline can vary; for example, one candidate noted that for internships, it took about four months from application to interview offer – so patience is advised when applying. Interviews at SRNL are typically panel-style (often including both technical staff and management) and may cover both technical questions and behavioral questions to assess fit with the lab’s culture. According to feedback from candidates, the interview difficulty is regarded as “average” (neither overly simple nor extremely challenging).
As a government research facility, SRNL’s hiring tends to involve multiple steps (initial screening, one or more interviews, and then clearance of any required security processing). The lab does offer relocation assistance for hard-to-fill positions and works to make the onboarding process smooth, including required training on safety and security protocols. Recent employee reviews indicate that since the transition to BSRA management, SRNL has become more proactive in recruiting and retaining talent, for instance, salaries have been increased to be more competitive and benefits remain strong. Candidates passionate about national service and scientific problem-solving will find SRNL’s missions rewarding, but should also be prepared for the formalities that come with working at a federal site (such as paperwork and procedural compliance). Overall, SRNL’s hiring outlook is positive, with growth in new research areas driving continuous recruitment of scientists, engineers, and support professionals who want to “put science to work” for the public good.
Culture
SRNL promotes a culture defined by its core values – Integrity, Innovation, Teamwork, and Service – and by a strong sense of mission. Many employees are drawn by the opportunity to contribute to national causes (cleaning the environment, securing the nation) and this shared mission focus creates pride and camaraderie. The lab emphasizes that innovation thrives in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and it has made an “unwavering” commitment to diversity and inclusion as part of its culture. SRNL strives to be an organization “where all people are welcome and respected, and where together we can create great ideas to put science to work”. In practice, this means active employee resource groups, outreach to encourage women and minorities in STEM, and a work environment where collaboration is encouraged across disciplines.
Senior leadership regularly communicates the importance of each individual’s contribution to the mission, helping even junior staff feel valued. The lab also benefits from its affiliation with multiple universities through BSRA, which brings an academic flavor – seminars, collaborations, and an influx of students/postdocs that enrich the culture with new ideas.
Employees at SRNL generally enjoy a healthy work-life balance. The lab offers a variety of flexible work schedules (including 9/80 or 4/10 arrangements for some, meaning employees can accrue an extra day off) and generous paid time off and holidays. Located in a less congested area, SRNL touts the fact that most staff have relatively short, traffic-free commutes and can afford a good quality of life in the surrounding communities. Overtime is not typically excessive except during peak project deadlines or outage periods, and managers are described as understanding about personal commitments. Safety is ingrained in the culture – not only operational safety (given the nuclear work) but also an ethos of looking out for one another. The lab frequently celebrates safety milestones and encourages employees to speak up about any concerns (embodying the “safety first” mindset).
Professional growth is another aspect of SRNL’s culture. The lab provides in-house training, supports conference attendance, and hosts regular technical talks. Mentorship is common – new hires, including interns and postdocs, are paired with seasoned mentors. SRNL management encourages employees to pursue advanced degrees or certifications (often with partial tuition assistance or schedule flexibility). The relatively smaller size of SRNL (compared to some larger DOE labs) can allow individuals to wear multiple hats and gain experience in different areas, which many staff find enriching. However, the flip side is that advancement to high-level positions can be slow, as noted in some reviews (with a traditionally long-serving workforce, openings in management are infrequent).
The compensation and benefits at SRNL are competitive, especially after recent improvements. Employees report that salaries and raises have improved significantly under BSRA, aligning pay closer to market rates. The benefits package is robust, including comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision), company-paid disability and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. SRNL’s 401(k)-style plan features a non-elective contribution of 5% of salary plus matching contributions up to 4% (with immediate vesting on the base contribution). Generous paid leave, parental leave, and an Employee Assistance Program are also provided. Overall, most employees feel the benefits “provide everything you and your family will want” as SRNL states on its website.
From a third-party perspective, employee reviews of SRNL are generally positive, highlighting the meaningful work and work-life balance.
On Indeed, for example, SRNL has a 4.2 out of 5 stars rating overall, with workers rating work-life balance 4.0/5.0 on average.
Glassdoor reviews (about 60+ reviews as of 2025) give SRNL roughly 3.7/5.0 overall satisfaction; around two-thirds of reviewers say they would recommend the lab to a friend. In comments, mission-driven work and a collaborative environment are frequently cited as pros.
One employee described the work as “relevant [to my field], [with] friendly bosses” and praised having “great co-workers” and little micromanagement. Another reviewer noted “they provide good work-life balance… Benefits are good”, echoing a common sentiment that SRNL is a comfortable place to build a career. The small-town location and the fact that SRS is somewhat remote do come up as a downside for some; “living in a small town” was listed as a con by one employee, and others mention that the Aiken area doesn’t offer big-city amenities. A recurring critique is that being a government lab, bureaucracy and red tape can slow down work at times – for instance, implementing new ideas or changes may require navigating DOE procedures. Additionally, career progression can be gradual; while lateral movement into new projects is easy, promotions may take time (“slow progression to change the things that are needed” as one Glassdoor review put it). Despite these challenges, the lab’s culture of teamwork and purpose keeps turnover relatively low. Many staff have decades-long tenures, which speaks to their dedication.
Newer employees note that the lab is modernizing its culture – embracing more diversity, updated work policies, and a forward-looking research agenda – making it an exciting time to join.
Working at SRNL offers the chance to be part of a close-knit community of professionals tackling high-impact problems. The lab provides stability, a family-friendly environment, and the intangible reward of contributing to the nation’s well-being, which for many employees outweighs the slower pace of change or the rural locale. As one might hear around SRNL’s halls: “We’re not just doing a job, we’re supporting our country’s future.”