Postdoctoral Appointee - Porous Energy Materials
Posting Duration
This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.
What Your Job Will Be Like
We are seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to participate in team efforts to develop and characterize porous materials for storage of hydrogen isotopes, storage of electrical energy, or to control of fluid flow. The department fabricates these materials through a combination of wet chemistry, electrochemistry, traditional metallurgical methods, and additive manufacturing techniques. Our characterization techniques include nanometer- and micrometer-scale tomography, spectral imaging, and imaging of time-dependent properties, with an emphasis on electron microscopy. These involve large datasets that require advanced algorithms such as machine learning methods for efficient analysis. The appointee will participate in a subset of this work that is a good match to skills and career goals.
On any given day, you may be called on to:
- Design and prepare experimental samples using chemical and physical methods
- Measure interactions of samples with inert or chemically reacting fluids
- Plan experiments with our electron microscopy team
- Analyze large datasets using computational methods
- Prepare, submit, and revise manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and reports
- Participate in patent applications and software releases
- Attend and present at seminars, training, planning meetings, and conferences
- Train and mentor technologists, interns and peers
Qualifications We Require
- Ph.D. in materials science, chemistry, physics, chemical or materials engineering, or closely related field
- A record of publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals
- Experience performing material characterization experiments including electron microscopy
- Ability to hold a DOE Q clearance
Qualifications We Desire
- A record of presentation of applicant's research at scientific conferences (oral and/or poster).
- A cover letter in the application, included with a resume or CV, describing qualifications, research interests, and career goals
- A recommendation letter from a mentor, provided after selection for an onsite interview, that describes the candidate’s technical skills, creativity, and attention to laboratory safety and scientific ethics.
- Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Electron, ion and/or photon optics, and beam-matter interactions.
- Nanoscale properties and behavior of metals.
- Microstructural analysis in three dimensions.
- Pressure and vacuum safety and instrumentation.
- Wet chemical synthesis.
- Working safely with radiation and/or radioactive materials.
About Our Team
The Energy Nanomaterials Department is a research organization specializing in the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials for energy and national security applications. Projects and capabilities in the department’s research portfolio include nanoporous materials for sensing, catalysis, energy harvesting, and gas storage; materials for energy and hydrogen storage; and nanoscale materials characterization including extensive electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, nanoindentation instrumentation, and X-ray diffraction.
Position Information
This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.
Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.
About Sandia
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.
Security Clearance
Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.
EEO
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.