Postdoctoral Appointee – Electrochemical Materials Separations and Depositions,

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.

Employees, excluding student interns, must remain in their current position for one year from their hire date before bidding on a new job. However, the hiring manager may obtain approval to consider a candidate before the one-year requirement is met via the review process. This approval must be secured prior to being interviewed for a posted position. The Application of this requirement will not supersede collective bargaining agreements. Please refer to the collective bargaining labor agreements for eligibility requirements for represented bidders.

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 vacation, 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.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to join Sandia’s Nanoscale Sciences team and conduct hands-on research and development in electrochemical critical-mineral separation, flow cells, and other device technologies important to national security.. Are you passionate about fundamental and applied science and engineering? Do you want to use your scientific and engineering expertise to develop innovative ideas, build new measurement instrumentation and prototype devices, and generate the understanding and demonstrations needed to solve national security challenges? If so, apply to join our team and make a difference.

On any given day, you will be asked to:

• Design, construct, and apply electrochemical instrumentation for critical-mineral separation and characterization
• Deposit and characterize coatings and composites using a diverse array of materials-analysis techniques
• Develop models to predict and understand the behavior of materials and systems
• Collaborate with subject-matter experts in electrochemistry, materials science, geochemistry, solution chemistry, and related fields
• Communicate research results through technical presentations and publications
• Mentor undergraduate and/or graduate interns

Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite.

• A PhD, conferred within five years prior to employment, in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Geochemistry, Physics, Materials Science/Engineering or related field
• experience conducting experimental R&D on electrochemical materials and systems
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

• Experience designing or operating electrolyzers, fuel cells, redox flow batteries, or other complex electrochemical systems
• Experience with electrodeposition or electroplating of coatings or with other thin-film deposition techniques
• Experience with various electroanalytical techniques, such as Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), etc.
• Familiarity with materials characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
  FT-IR), and electron microscopy (SEM/EDS, etc)
• Experience with scientific computing or programming tools such as MATLAB or Python
• Experience with continuum-scale modeling tools such as COMSOL
• Experience with thermochemical modeling tools such as FactSage
• Interest and demonstrated ability in developing and constructing new experimental apparatus
• Strong self-motivation and the ability to solve technical challenges through critical thinking and planning
• Ability to communicate technical content effectively through publications and presentations

The Nanoscale Sciences Department conducts collaborative leading-edge research that advances the understanding of materials at the nanoscale and enables the collaborative development of creative solutions for Sandia’s broad and evolving National Security and Energy Missions. Our research activities have broad impact; and typically generate peer-reviewed, high-profile journal publications and presentations at professional scientific meetings. Our main research focus is directed along three thrusts:1. Electrochemical Materials Science and Applications (including energy storage and corrosion) 2. Magnetic, Dielectric and Electronic Materials Science and Applications (including ferroics and composites) 3. Nanostructured Materials Science and Applications (i.e., for hazardous materials capture/storage, sensing, membranes, water treatment, and catalysis).

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.

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.

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.