Postdoctoral Appointee - Discovery Chemistry & Functional Materials, Onsite

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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

Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

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 high-caliber, innovative POSTDOCTORAL APPOINTEE to join an interdisciplinary team pioneering the discovery of novel small molecules, polymers, and functional architectures. In this role, you will lead the synthetic and characterization strategy for next-generation critical material capture and advanced organic electronic systems.

This position sits at the intersection of target-focused molecular design, synthetic execution, and structure-property optimization. It is an exceptional opportunity for a scientist looking to bridge fundamental chemical innovation with real-world application, working across multi-institutional partnerships to transition discovery-stage chemistry into scalable technology.

As a key contributor to a multi-institutional research effort, you will participate in the following activities:

Molecular Design & Synthetic Execution:
Spearhead the multi-step design, synthesis, and purification of novel organic, organometallic, and polymeric targets; apply cutting-edge synthetic methodologies and air-free techniques

Structure-Property Relationships (SPR):
Systematically map structure-activity/property trends (e.g., electronic tuning, photophysical behavior, degradation kinetics, sorption affinity) to guide iterative molecular optimization.

Advanced Characterization & Analytics:
Utilize a comprehensive suite of analytical tools (1D/2D NMR, HRMS, UV-Vis, XRD, DSC/TGA, FT-IR) to establish structural proof, purity, and thermal/mechanistic stability profiles.

Cross-Functional & Translational Impact:
Collaborate tightly with materials scientists, characterization specialists, and chemical engineers to evaluate target performance and translate milligram-scale hits into scalable, robust systems.

Process & Assay Development:
Establish and refine standardized experimental protocols, assay workflows, and stability screening methodologies.

Scientific Leadership:
Communicate technical milestones across multi-institutional leadership, author peer-reviewed manuscripts, and present discoveries at national/international conferences.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Qualifications We Require:

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.

Hands-on Molecular Synthesis

Skills:

Practical experience in organic, organometallic, or macromolecular synthesis, including standard air-free/Schlenk-line or glovebox techniques.

Characterization Fundamentals:
Proficiency in routine methods for structural confirmation and purity analysis (e.g., NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, Mass Spectrometry, or thermal analysis like TGA/DSC).

Research Productivity: A track record of peer-reviewed publications demonstrating the ability to drive a research project through to completion.

Qualifications We Desire:

Collaborative Mindset:
Strong interest in working across disciplines to connect synthetic chemistry with material performance and engineering targets.

Experience with gas/vapor sorption systems (e.g., BET, volumetric/gravimetric gas physisorption) and macromolecular/polymer synthesis.

Understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals (e.g., mass transfer, thermal transport, scale-up dynamics, or process safety).

Exposure to computational chemistry, molecular modeling, or automated/high-throughput computational (or experimental) screening methods.

Demonstrated leadership in mentoring graduate/undergraduate researchers and/or managing laboratory safety/equipment workflows.

About Our Team:

The Materials Chemistry Department is a group of Chemists, Material Scientists, and Chemical Engineers who actively supports the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile by providing materials expertise to SNL's non-nuclear…