Processing Science of Rare Earth Metals and Alloys - Postdoctoral Researcher

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Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has turned bold ideas into world-changing impact advancing science and technology to strengthen U.S. security and promote global stability.

Our mission spans four critical national security areas nuclear deterrence, threat preparedness, energy security, and multi-domain defense empowering teams to take on the toughest challenges of today and tomorrow. With a culture built on innovation and operational excellence, LLNL is a place where your expertise can make a real impact.

The Materials Science Division (MSD) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to investigate high-temperature processing and reaction science of rare earth (REE) metals and alloys. Properties of interest include molten metal flow, wetting, and interactions with ceramic or metallic containment, as well as metallothermic reaction pathways during alloying. Understanding reaction mechanisms, intermediate phases, kinetics, and transport phenomena in metal-oxide systems will be a key part of the role.

You will design and execute controlled-atmosphere experiments, develop specialized high-temperature equipment, and combine thermal analysis, diffraction, microscopy, and thermodynamic or kinetic interpretation to establish processing-structure-property relationships. The work includes collaborations involving computational fluid dynamics, CALPHAD modeling, and time-resolved synchrotron diffraction. The candidate will publish and present results to internal stakeholders, as well as to the wider scientific community. This position is based in the Advanced Materials Process Science Group within the Materials Science Division and will support LLNL programmatic, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, and externally funded materials research.

• Conduct research in high-temperature processing of rare earth metals, with emphasis on containment compatibility and metallothermic reaction pathways.
• Design, build, operate, and maintain controlled-atmosphere and high-temperature experimental equipment.
• Investigate wetting and interface reactions between molten metals and ceramic or metallic containment materials and characterize molten metal flow and ejection dynamics.
• Determine reaction mechanisms, intermediate phase formation, kinetics, and transport behavior in metal-oxide and multiphase high-temperature systems.
• Prepare and characterize samples using relevant methods such as thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, spectroscopy, metallography, and quantitative image analysis.
• Publish research results in peer-reviewed journals and present results at conferences, seminars, and technical meetings.
• Maintain rigorous safety, documentation, and compliance standards in all laboratory activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a closely related field.
• Experience designing and conducting experiments involving high-temperature materials processing, molten metals and molten metal flows, reactive materials, metal-oxide reactions, ceramics, or related systems.
• Knowledge of chemical thermodynamics, phase equilibria, reaction kinetics, mass transport, and/or interfacial phenomena in materials.
• Demonstrated track record with materials characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermal analysis, surface/interface analysis, or metallography.
• Proficient verbal and written…