Will Kirkland

Bio

William “Will” Kirkland is group leader for Radioisotope Infrastructure Development in the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate (ISED), where his group supports ORNL’s radioisotope programs through the design and management of specialized infrastructure and equipment. As the Design Authority Representative and engineering lead for the Radioisotope Processing Facility (RPF), Will is designated by ORNL Chief Engineer Doug Freels to have responsibility for identifying and applying design requirements and ensuring design output documents appropriately and accurately reflect the design basis.

Will came to ORNL in 2011 as a mechanical engineer covering vacuum systems for ITER, the world’s largest nuclear fusion project, which is under construction in France. He later served as the system engineer for several piping and experiment systems for the High Flux Isotope Reactor and then joined ISED in 2020 as a system engineer in Nonreactor Nuclear Facilities division. Prior to joining ORNL, he was a nuclear facility systems engineer with B&W Technical Services.

Will holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Tennessee. He has published several journal articles, conference papers, and technical reports, and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Tennessee. He has extensive experience in fabrication, design, operations, and management of a variety of facilities and equipment in the nuclear field. 

Publications