Post-Bachelor's Research Associate - Materials Science & Robotic Automation

Overview

You will join a multidisciplinary experimental team within the Materials Physics and Applications organization at Los Alamos National Laboratory focused on understanding how materials deform and fail under a wide range of conditions. This work supports the Laboratory's national security mission by improving the fundamental understanding of material behavior and enabling more predictive models for critical systems.

What You Will Do (repeat of the description streamlined for clarity): you will help modernize and enhance experimental capabilities through the development and implementation of robotic and automated laboratory workflows. You will work alongside materials scientists and engineers to improve the efficiency, repeatability, and quality of materials characterization and testing, with a particular focus on metals and alloys. This is an opportunity to apply both materials science knowledge and hands-on robotics/automation skills to real-world experimental challenges in a national laboratory environment.

• Develop and deploy robot-assisted workflows for sample preparation, handling, and microscopy
• Integrate robotic systems with laboratory instruments, including optical and electron microscopy tools
• Support materials characterization experiments, particularly for deformed metals and alloys
• Contribute to automation, data collection, and analysis pipelines using programming tools such as Python or MATLAB
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to improve experimental throughput and data quality
• Document methods, workflows, and results in technical reports

Knowledge

• Fundamentals of materials science, including microstructure and mechanical behavior of metals and alloys
• Basic understanding of materials characterization techniques (e.g., optical or electron microscopy)
• Introductory knowledge of robotics, automation systems, or mechatronics concepts
• Familiarity with data acquisition and analysis methods

Skills

• Programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar for data analysis or automation tasks
• Hands-on laboratory skills, including sample preparation or experimental setup
• Ability to troubleshoot experimental or hardware/software issues
• Technical communication skills, including writing clear summaries of work and results

Abilities

• Ability to learn and adapt quickly in a multidisciplinary research environment
• Ability to work effectively in a team of scientists and engineers
• Ability to apply engineering and scientific concepts to solve practical problems
• Ability to manage time and prioritize tasks across multiple activities

Education/Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field completed within the past 3 years from an accredited institution. Candidates with interdisciplinary experience in both materials science and automation/robotics are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Must have graduated with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent)

Desired Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with robotic systems, automation platforms, or mechatronics
• Experience integrating hardware and software systems, including instrument control, scripting, or sensor integration
• Familiarity with optical or electron microscopy and image-based characterization techniques
• Experience with metallographic sample preparation and/or mechanical testing of materials
• Proficiency in Python or similar programming languages for automation, data acquisition, or analysis
• Experience with CAD, engineering drawings, and tolerancing
• Exposure to data management, analysis pipelines, or machine vision for experimental workflows
• Demonstrated ability to work in an interdisciplinary research environment bridging materials science and engineering systems

The work location for this position is hybrid and is located in Los Alamos, NM. Hybrid is defined as working partially onsite/partially offsite but within 2 hours ground commute of this location. All work locations are at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of certain countries are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities. Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks. Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer.

All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories, and the Laboratory provides reasonable accommodations upon request during the application and hiring process.

No security clearance is required. The Laboratory may require compliance with internal policies and applicable laws. For assistance or…