Naval Nuclear Laboratory at MSU

Brian Novak is the Oversight, Safety, and Quality manager for the Naval Nuclear Laboratory’s Naval Reactors Facility (NRF), located on the Idaho National Laboratory. He was interim in this role since October of 2017 and was appointed to this position in 2018. In this role, Brian is responsible for compliance at NRF in radiological, environmental, safety, and quality matters. NRF receives, examines, and prepares the naval spent fuel for long-term dry storage and conducts research and development on new reactor materials. Brian has nearly 34 years of experience in various aspects of the NRF mission. Prior to his current role, he was the Radiological Controls director at NRF. He began his career in 1990 in the NRF Site Facilities organization. He was responsible for the demolition and expansion of the NRF hot cell facilities. From there, Brian joined the refueling organization at NRF and qualified as a Shift Refueling engineer and later as the Chief Refueling engineer. Brian became the first Fuel Controls Engineering manager and spent nearly 13 years in the refueling organization before being appointed the Radiological Controls director. Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Montana State University.

Jorin Vavruska is a lead engineer for the Dry Storage Engineering sub-division at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF), the Naval Nuclear Laboratory’s (NNL) Idaho location, which focuses on the end of life packaging of Spent Nuclear Fuel. As a lead for this group, he oversees multiple projects that focus on continuous improvement through simplification, innovation, and modernization. He is also the Montana Stat University (MSU) Lead Talent Ambassador for NNL. In this role he works to further NNLs involvement with MSU through working with student organizations and faculty. He has sponsored and mentored Capstone projects in the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department. Jorin hired on with the NNL in 2016 as a Field Engineer with Dry Storage. As a Field Engineer he was closely working with operations crews to repair equipment and maintain production. After a few years he became an Equipment Engineer in Dry Storage and worked to replace/modernize equipment such that equipment issues the Field Engineer encountered wouldn’t reoccur. In 2020 he became a Lead Engineer to lead project teams through process improvements. Many of these projects are focused on dry storage production, but some are company wide initiatives that will change the way the NNL does business. Jorin graduated from Montana State University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in Science from the College of Engineering.

Jill Tanella leads the participation of Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC (FMP) Intern and Co-op Events/Activities and Sponsorship Program within the University Relations and Campus Recruitment efforts for Naval Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). She also assists with the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Enterprise Recruiting for the Naval Reactors Program.
In her role in University Relations and Campus Recruitment, Jill is responsible for coordinating executive engagements, campus outreach, career fair events, sponsorships for Tier I schools and engaging with student groups to attract top talent to NNL. Jill started with NNL in 2019 in the Human Resources Retirement Benefits Department working with retiring  employees to explain the defined benefit pension plans and the NNPP defined contribution plans. She also played a key role in the NNPP Contractor Employees Benefits Committee She transitioned into Human Resources Talent Acquisition Department as a recruiter in 2023, where she continues to take on roles of increasing responsibility. She leads the company’s Intern/Co-op Events and Activities as well as the Committee where she coordinates the programs events and activities for all five company locations. Beyond her outreach responsibilities, Jill is a member and actively participates in the Human Resources Morale Committee, where she helps foster a positive work environment and organizes HR events. Jill graduated from The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY. LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-tanella-a63792270/

Sheelah Aulet leads the participation of Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC (FMP) in the University Relations and Campus Recruitment efforts for Naval Nuclear Laboratory (NNL). She also assists with the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Enterprise Recruiting for the Naval Reactors Program. In her role as a University Relations Lead, Sheelah is responsible for coordinating executive engagements, campus outreach, career fair events and the recruitment events at professional conferences for NNL. Sheelah started with NNL in 2015 in the Procurement Department and transitioned into Human Resources Talent Acquisition as a recruiter in 2017, where she continues to take on roles of increasing responsibility. She also leads the company’s SeaPerch program. Sheelah attended Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia and graduated from The Sage Colleges of Albany in Albany, NY.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sheelah-aulet-578bb630