Postdoctoral Appointee – Nanoporous Materials Researcher, Onsite

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.

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*These benefits vary by job classification.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly productive and collaborative team at Sandia National Laboratories.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to synthesize, characterize, and test nanoporous materials, with a focus on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). You will work in a team-oriented R&D group and have the opportunity to demonstrate initiative in research activities that support your professional development.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Synthesize metal organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolites, and other nanoporous materials
• Perform post synthetic modifications and test gas adsorption and selectivity
• Perform materials characterization, including powder X-ray diffraction, porosity measurements, thermal analyses (TGA/DSC), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), X-ray fluorescence, IR and Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis, and NMR spectroscopy
• Analyze data to advance understanding of structure property relationships in the studied material systems under various testing conditions
• Work in a multidisciplinary team, collaborating with experts in a wide range of experimental techniques and materials modeling approaches
• Present findings at team meetings and to relevant technical managers and funding agencies
• Prepare and publish research in peer-reviewed journals and present at national conferences; may include opportunities to present at international conferences

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. Relocation assistance will be provided for those that qualify.

Please submit the following with your application:

• A CV or resume that includes a list of publications and contact information for at least three references
• A cover letter (two page maximum) addressing your qualifications for this position and research interests

• Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field conferred within five years prior to employment
• A strong track record of scientific and/or technical achievements through publication, as evidenced by peer-reviewed journals and external presentations at appropriate scientific conferences
• Research experience in synthesizing and characterizing nanoporous materials
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q security clearance

• Demonstrated track record of initiating or leading small research projects or work packages, planning experiments, and delivering results with minimal supervision
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with colleagues from diverse technical backgrounds across multiple organizations or institutions
• Experience contributing to multiple concurrent research programs or crossproject collaborations
• Willingness to work under principal investigator (PI) mentorship and to mentor students or junior colleagues as appropriate
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare technical reports and present results
• Advanced experience in nanoporous materials synthesis (emphasis on metal organic frameworks), including familiarity with post synthetic modification and gas adsorption studies, and experience studying host guest interactions
• Experience utilizing MOFs in sensor development
• Advanced materials characterization skills (single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, BET porosity, thermal analyses (TGA/DSC), electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), IR and Raman spectroscopy, UV-vis, and NMR) and familiarity with glove boxes
• Publication record in high impact journals or multiple first-author papers is a plus
• Demonstrated commitment to laboratory safety and safe work practices
• Creative problem solving and effective time management skills

The postdoctoral appointee will be based in the Organic Materials Science Department and embedded with our team while directly collaborating with Dr. Tina M. Nenoff, Sandia Fellow and R&D Scientist and Engineer in Materials Science.

Dr. Tina M. Nenoff is an internationally recognized materials scientist and a member of the National Academy of Engineering who has authored over 210 peer reviewed articles, published four book chapters, been awarded 19 U.S. patents, and delivered more than 100 presentations at national and international conferences. Her research focuses on the design, synthesis, and application of nanoporous materials, including advanced zeolites and metal organic frameworks (MOFs) for selective ion and gas separation; notable contributions include work on crystalline silico titanates used in remediation efforts at Fukushima Daiichi. Dr. Nenoff has served in senior science advisory roles and is widely acknowledged for mentoring and leadership across materials initiatives.

The Organic Materials Science Department researches and develops advanced materials and processing strategies for specialized national security and industrial applications. The department’s strengths include polymer aging and predictive performance, synthetic organic and polymer chemistry, comprehensive thermal/mechanical/chemical characterization, and advanced manufacturing. Current R&D areas include novel encapsulant materials, tailored foams for impact mitigation, new thermoset chemistries for additive manufacturing, innovative NMR techniques for transport phenomena in polymers, studies of long-term chemical physics interdependencies and radiation effects on polymers, and measurement and prediction of dielectric and permeation behaviors. The department houses a range of synthesis and characterization capabilities (including NMR, thermal analysis, rheology, mechanical testing, and glovebox processing) and collaborates broadly across Sandia and with external partners. The department supports a strong postdoctoral community and provides mentorship and professional development for early career researchers.

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.

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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.