Postdoctoral Appointee – In Situ TEM & Mechanics of Materials; Onsite

Postdoctoral Appointee – In Situ TEM & Mechanics of Materials (Onsite)

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct advanced research in in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the mechanics of materials. This is an onsite position leveraging world-class facilities, including an aberration-corrected environmental TEM for nanomechanical testing under varied environments (temperature, chemical exposure, fatigue).

The position offers the opportunity to collaborate with experiment–modeling teams, explore phenomena such as self-healing in metals, and contribute to research with applications in structural materials, micro/nano-devices, flexible electronics, and biomedical devices.

• Perform in situ TEM nanomechanical testing under diverse environments.
• Investigate microstructure, mechanical properties, and defect behavior.
• Collaborate across experimental and modeling teams on self-healing phenomena in metals.
• Develop and apply advanced electron microscopy techniques.

Required:

• PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field (within last 5 years).
• Experience with TEM for materials characterization.
• Record of scientific publications and presentations.
• Experience with in situ TEM (heating, gas, nanomechanical testing).
• Knowledge of advanced TEM techniques (4D-STEM, EELS, diffraction analysis).
• Skills in TEM sample prep, data analysis (Matlab/Python), and mechanical property evaluation.
• Ability to design and execute experiments independently and collaboratively.
• Term: 1-year appointment, renewable up to 5 years.
• Environment:
  Onsite; access to unique TEM instrumentation at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT).
• Clearance: DOE clearance not required initially; U.S. citizenship required for future clearance eligibility.
• Benefits:
  Competitive salary, health coverage, retirement plans, relocation assistance, flexible work options (depending on classification).