Postdoctoral Appointee - Energy Storage R&D, Onsite (Sandia)

Job Description

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 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.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a postdoctoral research scientist to support the advancement of safety science in the field of advanced lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries, and sodium-ion batteries. The role will involve investigating the fundamental mechanisms that lead to cell failure through experimental research and characterization, leveraging Sandia’s state-of-the-art facilities.

On any given day you may be called on to:

• Effectively contribute to presentation and publication activities that support research efforts, while demonstrating interpersonal skills that facilitate effective collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.
• Support research activities aimed at enhancing the understanding of the reliability and safety of energy storage systems.
• Utilize problem-solving skills and critical thinking necessary for conducting this work, including familiarity with test operations, data acquisition, instrument control, project planning, test management, and knowledge of environmental, health, safety, and security work planning and controls.
• Become familiar with energy storage technologies and materials or demonstrate an aptitude for developing expertise in this area.
• Apply your expertise in materials characterization and electrochemistry.
• Plan, conduct, and execute scientific and engineering programs within the spectrum of fundamental research, development, or demonstration.

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

Qualifications We Require:

• PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a closely related field ( PhD must be conferred within 5 years prior to employment)
• Strong academic record and relevant dissertation project, with associated publications demonstrating relevant experience and effective teamwork skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance.

Qualifications We Desire:

• Willingness and desire to work in a team-oriented research environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency in independent R&D programs focused on lithium-ion, solid-state, and sodium-ion batteries, with an emphasis on battery safety and materials.
• Good understanding of electrochemistry as it relates to batteries, including familiarity with battery materials, and energy storage systems.
• Background in analytical techniques, materials characterization, and data acquisition, with experience in controlling instrumentation for monitoring electrical, thermal, and mechanical variables.
• Experience coordinating the efforts of technicians and/or students, fostering collaboration within a team environment to meet testing schedules.
• Excellent communication skills, evidenced by an established publication record and experience in reporting technical results in both written and presentation formats.
• Commitment to laboratory safety, with a strong safety record and experience applying engineered safety controls to mitigate or eliminate hazards.
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• Willingness to spend much of the workday in a laboratory environment.

About Our Team:

The Power Sources Research and Development Department develops thermal batteries, primary and rechargeable lithium batteries, hybrid power sources, and double layer capacitors for our customers in the DOE, the military, industry, and other Sandia organizations. The Department endeavors to build on a leadership position in developing lithium primary and secondary batteries as well as established leadership for thermal batteries. In collaboration with others, we develop new power source concepts and materials leading to component development for specific applications. Our battery safety research and abuse testing laboratories are state-of-the-art and help us understand battery failures and lead our engineering efforts to produce abuse tolerant systems for nuclear weapons and other defense and consumer applications that include electric and hybrid-electric vehicles and utility grid energy storage. To accomplish these missions, Department personnel perform applied research, engineering design, hardware development, cell prototyping and fabrication, safety evaluation, and testing. Our personnel also partner with industrial battery manufacturers and other government agencies to develop prototype and final battery hardware. Technology transfer through CRADAs and other industrial collaborations is actively pursued.

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.

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.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

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.

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.

Job ID: 695242

Job Family: 92

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: F