Jim Wicks
Proven Experience
Mr. Wicks provided contract support to DOE non-reactor facilities reviewing nuclear safety documentation. Recent activities include participation in an Independent Project Review (IPR) for the WIPP site reviewing the readiness to submit the critical decision CD2/3 request to DOE for the new Permanent Ventilation System project, including informal review of the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis (PDSA) and review of the PUREX Facility’s DSA draft change in preparation for grouting tunnels to stabilize the contents. He completed the assessment of the Richland Operations Office Nuclear Safety Division’s training and qualification of their Nuclear Safety Staff.
Mr. Jim Wicks is a hands-on senior manager who has served in various operations, engineering, nuclear safety, radiological protection, and conduct of operations in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Management nuclear facilities and NAVSEA naval shipyards. His education and skills were refined in the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program. He provided world-class conduct of operations and disciplined compliance to operational formality, personnel safety, and nuclear safety culture.
Mr. Wicks, in his current role, provides support to the Department of Energy (DOE) in Nuclear Safety, Quality Assurance and Packaging and Transportation Safety.
Mr. Wicks holds a master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Naval Architecture, and Marine Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Sustainable Results
Mr. Wicks provided contract support to the Department of Energy’s Enterprise Assessment (EA) team to assess nuclear safety documentation and Safety Bases (DSA/TSR) throughout the complex. The team provided technical assessment and evaluation of the new Los Alamos temporary waste facility (TWF) Safety Basis. He was a team member of the WIPP facility assessment of the revised DSA/TSRs following the fire and radiological events of February 2014.
Mr. Wicks supported the Office of River Protection (ORP) as a Chief Engineer, in the Engineering and Nuclear Safety Division. Jim provided technical leadership to ensure safe, efficient, and sound engineering programs to complete the Office of River Protection mission. He was the principal technical authority for the development and implementation of engineering standards. He ensured the implementation of technical and programmatic requirements established in engineering and nuclear safety related Department of Energy directives and standards. He conducted contractor ISM assessments to ensure the ISM program, as implemented, met both the programmatic requirements and ISM was tailored to the industry and culture-specific to work being performed. This allowed management commitment, strong hazards identification and prevention/mitigation processes, worker involvement, including buy-in of work packages and procedures, the facility commitment to stop work, procedural compliance, and open and honest feedback.