Material Science Postdoctoral Research Associate

What You Will Do

The Plutonium Supply and Disposition (PSD-1) group at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking outstanding candidates for a joint position with Finishing Manufacturing Science (Sigma 2) and/or Physical and Applied Spectroscopy (C-PCS) for the position of Postdoctoral Research Associate. Postdoctoral researchers will be working with a group of collaborators including Bonnie Klamm, Nickolas Anderson, Ryan Wilkerson, and Benjamin Stein.

The successful candidate will study material properties in molten salt environments for application in actinide separations, and will join a team of chemists, material scientists, and engineers to advance work that will support LANL's production goals. An ideal candidate will have a background in material science, materials engineering, or chemistry, and a strong technical skillset in material characterization, corrosion analysis, and molten salt chemistry.

The candidate is expected to be self-motivated for success and demonstrate a desire to perform at a high-level in their chosen field. It is further expected that the successful candidate will present their work at national/international conferences and will publish their results both internally at LANL and in appropriate refereed journals. This position requires a Q-clearance, which often requires United States citizenship.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Hands on physical research experience, especially in the areas of ceramic materials processing and/or additive manufacturing.
• Experience with high temperature furnace systems
• Desire to work on production-centric ceramic manufacturing research and development activities
• Demonstrated practical laboratory experience with characterization techniques like SEM, XRD, XRF, and XPS.
• Mechanically minded and able to plan and implement novel hardware setups.
• Demonstrated record of technical excellence and innovative thinking as evidenced by multiple first-author publications.
• A willingness and desire to learn new skills, develop additional proficiencies, and work on emerging projects.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Persevering and remaining positive and productive with difficult projects.
• Education Required: A Ph.D. from an accredited program in material science, materials engineering, chemistry, or a related field. The candidate must have completed all Ph.D. requirements by commencement of the appointment.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with ceramic processing or additive manufacturing equipment and operation
• Experience with microstructural characterization, and its relation to performance such as mechanical properties, chemical compatibility, and corrosion susceptibility
• Demonstrated practical laboratory experience in safely handling radiological and pyrophoric materials.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to interact with colleagues
• Demonstrated self-starter with the ability to effectively work in a team environment
• Demonstrated experience in applying fundamental scientific concepts to complex, multidisciplinary problems.
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which typically requires US citizenship.

Notes to Applicants

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Applicants should be prepared to provide academic transcripts and three letters of reference upon request.

If interested, please contact Bonnie Klamm (bklamm@lanl.gov) with questions or for discussion regarding LANL, the project, or laboratory areas.

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Note to Applicants:

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network

§ Dental and vision insurance

§ Free basic life and disability insurance

§ Paid childbirth and parental leave

§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)

§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance

§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)

§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs

§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

• Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947 opt. 3.