Brian Hamm knows many job seekers in the Tri-Cities live and die by the online job postings of Hanford contractors.

And he also knows how much effort and luck they need in searching for them across multiple websites and platforms before they expire.

“If you want to apply for a posting, you have to have someone inside to tell you about it, otherwise, you’re shooting in the dark,” Hamm told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

That’s why he launched hanfordjobs.us, a website aggregating job postings from every prime Hanford site contractor and other energy-adjacent employers such as Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Energy Northwest and Framatome.

Years in the making, the website also holds on to job postings for users to research, allows for job alerts and has an AI chatbot that suggests what jobs are the best fit for you.

And it’s all for free.

While Hamm said he’s still fine-tuning the tool, such as adding features or capturing more job postings, the response he’s received has made the project worth it.

“You are a genius! Many people will be grateful for all the work you’ve done,” wrote one commenter after Hamm shared the site on social media pages for the region.

Job search problem solver

Tens of thousands of people work at the Hanford site, either for the prime contractors or subcontractors or government agencies. Hamm previously worked there himself in health physics. It was a job that provided security and stability, but he really wanted to be an engineer.

Hamm eventually earned a bachelor’s in information technology from the online Columbia Southern University. He co-founded a tech firm, Omni Innovations LLC, in 2024 with wife Rebecca Redick.

It was years ago that Hamm started working on what would become hanfordjobs.us, knowing from experience how difficult it could be to find and apply for entry-level jobs on the site. However, that first iteration was clunky and didn’t function well, so he set it aside.

But he recently dove back into the project, motivated to help Redick’s brother, who was job hunting.

Omni also recently began providing IT services to Paul Nims, who has opened Atomic Technical Institute to provide workforce training to those interested in pursuing jobs on the Hanford site.

Hamm shared hanfordjobs.us with Nims who said he was impressed at how easy and yet comprehensive the tool is.

“Brian straight up solved the problem,” Nims said.

Site features

As of May 7, nearly 150 roles at 10 different employers were listed on the jobs site. While visitors still have to go to a specific employer’s website to formally apply, all the details of the original posting are available on the site, including salary ranges and posting number.

The site’s chatbot guides visitors who are not sure what jobs to pursue by asking what’s leading to their career search and determining past work experience and soft skills. It then gives the top listings that match a user’s background and even suggests training and education pathways, such as Columbia Basin College or training benefits through the state’s Employment Security Department.

“This tool really saves your time,” Redick said. “Instead of spending all your time searching for a job you can spend your time applying for jobs.”

More advanced features require users to register but at no cost. Once registered, a user can set up job alerts, use the site’s entry-level Radiological Control Technician/Health Physics Technician jobs tracker, review expired job postings, and explore data showing when employers typically post jobs, typical salary ranges and more.

Only weeks after going public, the site already logged more than 300,000 page views and more than 7,400 visitors. Hundreds clicked through to apply to posted jobs, with Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) and Central Plateau Cleanup Company (CPCCo) generating the most interest, according to Hamm’s metrics data.

Positive feedback

Hamm shared the site through his LinkedIn profile and local Facebook community groups. The feedback was universally positive along with suggestions for everything from other employers to include to features such as listing internship openings. Several also insisted he find a way to be rewarded for his efforts.

“I’m retired so this doesn’t apply to me but am very impressed with the community input, didn’t see one snide remark which is so refreshing,” one online commenter posted. “Brian I would say you should be compensated a little at least. Maybe if someone actually got a job from your efforts they should donate! Time isn’t free.”

Hamm said it does cost him to run the website, as it’s based on his server and the AI-enabled features require resources as well. But he isn’t currently planning to put the bulk of the site behind a paywall.

However, there are still some revenue streams. The site’s resume-writing tool offers packages starting at $50 and there are also some ad spaces available on the website. He anticipates Hanford contractors and employers wanting to buy metrics related to how their job postings are faring, or what types of jobs get the most hits. And the site has been great for his brand, as he’s been approached by some to design websites for them.

For now, he’s just telling folks to buy him a cup of coffee, using a donation button at the bottom of the site, if they want to support the site.

“Just like we want our business to succeed, we want the same for everyone in the community,” he said.