Postdoctoral Appointee – Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Systems, Onsite

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The Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Systems Department is rapidly growing our research capabilities and we are looking for a postdoctoral researcher (job title: Postdoctoral Appointee) to join our dynamic team of professionals.

We are seeking an independent and highly motivated individual to perform high-impact research on experimental power electronics and utility-scale power conversion systems. Our team develops new hardware architectures and intelligent control strategies for high-performance power conversion applications. You will be responsible for supporting existing research projects and contributing to the development of new projects and proposals focused on power conversion systems for utility-scale storage applications.

On any given day you may be called on to:

• Design and implement power converter hardware.
• Design custom magnetic components.
• Prepare dynamic simulations of converter hardware and control functionality.
• Develop firmware and control code in microcontrollers, digital signal processors, or field programmable gate arrays.
• Assist with hardware testing, troubleshooting, and performance verification.
• Contribute to hardware design reviews in a group setting.
• Document research findings for external publication.
• Present on research progress and impact at group meetings, peer review events, and technical conferences.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. This position is located in Albuquerque, NM, and the annual salary for this position is $98,500.

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or other relevant field
• Demonstrated record of research contributions, such as publications in peer-reviewed journals and/ or presentations at conferences

• experience with power converter hardware design, implementation, testing, and analysis
• Experience with the design of custom high/medium-frequency magnetic components
• Embedded system programming experience
• PCB design experience
• Experience with design and analysis of modular and multi-level converter topologies
• Experience with integration of wide bandgap semiconductor devices

The Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Systems Department is focused on the development and integration of power conversion devices and systems into our future electric grid. The department maintains laboratories for building and evaluating power electronic systems up to medium voltage (15kV and above), for component characterization, and for constructing custom power electronics modules. Department members coordinate closely with staff in other grid modernization and energy security departments, as well as with related programs and projects in advanced materials and devices. Additionally, we are actively engaged in partnerships and collaborations with electric utilities, electrical equipment manufacturers, universities, and other national laboratories to enable the rapid integration of solid state technologies in electric infrastructure.

This posting will be open for Application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are also a citizen of the United States.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. 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.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

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.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

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.