Postdoctoral Appointee - Complex Metal Alloys Hydrogen Storage and Purification, Onsite

Position: Postdoctoral Appointee - Complex Metal Alloys for Hydrogen Storage and Purification, Onsite
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

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+ 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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..gov

* These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to probe hydrogen effects in compositionally complex metal alloys, with an emphasis on hydrogen storage and purification. This research aims to enable rational design of hydrogen-rich materials by changing the chemical composition and local atomic arrangements in crystalline or amorphous configurations. The focus is on understanding processes governing hydrogen interactions with materials, effects of interfaces, and mass and thermal transport.

The project aims to develop metal alloys, metallic glasses and hydrogen getters derived from earth-abundant elements, guided by artificial intelligence, data science, theoretical modeling, and automated synthesis workflows to navigate the extensive compositional and microstructural diversity. This research is driven by the national need for durable, high-performance hydrogen separation storage materials and membranes capable of efficient and reliable operation under realistic industrial conditions, enabling cost-effective separation and purification of hydrogen and hydrogen isotopes using earth-abundant elements.

On any given day you may

+  Perform high-throughput synthesis of metal alloys using additive manufacturing (AM) and automated arc-melting platforms  

+  Characterize metal alloy structure using in situ diffraction and spectroscopy methods, such as X-ray crystallography, neutron diffraction, and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis

+  Perform Pressure-Composition-Temperature, hydrogen permeability, and long-term cycle life measurements of metal alloy performance

+  Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, with experts in computational modeling, systems engineering, advanced characterization and artificial intelligence/data science

+  Present results at relevant technical conferences

+  Plot results and write drafts of manuscripts to be submitted to prominent chemistry/materials journals

For additional information, please visit https://  

Qualifications We Require:

+ PhD in chemistry, metallurgy, materials science, or related field

+ Expertise in synthesis of new materials and alloys and their chemical and structural characterization

+

Experience with alloy synthesis, glove-box techniques, and characterization techniques (spectroscopy tools, X-ray and/or neutron diffraction, electron microscopy)

Qualifications We Desire:

+   Expertise in alloy synthesis techniques using arc melting, induction melting, or additive manufacturing

+ Familiarity with advanced characterization techniques, such as neutron methods, Pair Distribution Function analysis, small-angle X-ray scattering, XPS, TEM, solid-state NMR

+

Experience with materials-based hydrogen storage and separations

+ Demonstrated record of high technical achievement and the ability to conduct creative, independent research

+

Experience with AI, machine learning, or data science

+ Excellent interpersonal and communication skills  

About Our Team:

The Energy Materials Physics Department at Sandia is a…