Post Doctorate Research Associate - Materials Science

Overview

At PNNL,our core capabilities are dividedamongmajor departments that werefer to as Directorates within the Lab,focused on a specific area of scientific research orother function, with its own leadership teamand dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technologydirectoratesinclude National Security,Earthand Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory,a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate's (PCSD’s) strengths in experimental, computational, and theoretical chemistry and materials science, together with our advanced computing, applied mathematics and data science capabilities, are central to the discovery mission we embrace  our most important resource is our people—experts across the range of scientific disciplines who team together to take on the biggest scientific challenges of our time.

The Physical Sciences Division stewards discovery science research portfolios including catalysis, materials science, separations, analytical chemistry, geosciences, and chemical physics. Our research strives to refine our molecular-level understanding of multiphase systems and phenomena including complex interfaces. We discover and apply new knowledge to address major national priorities and needs in energy sustainability through the development of new energy storage technologies and the creation of high-value fuels and materials from abundant wastes.

We are seeking an outstanding Post Doctorate Research Associate to join our group to explore phenomena involving ion adsorption, crystal nucleation, and particle interactions at solid-liquid interfaces, with applications to exploring fundamental problems in materials synthesis, geochemistry, and the function of energy materials. The successful candidate will have a strong background in nanoscale materials characterization, particularly in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM).

The successful candidate will utilize a suite of advanced AFM instruments and will develop novel approaches for using in-situ AFM to characterize atomic-scale adsorbates, solution structure, nanoscale precipitates, and intermolecular forces at solid-liquid interfaces. Experience with solution thermodynamics, interfacial chemistry, and/or electrochemistry are also beneficial. The candidate will work as part of a team that includes world-leaders in AFM, in-situ electron microscopy, advanced surface spectroscopies, materials synthesis, geochemical and materials modeling, and atomic scale simulations.

The candidate will also prepare manuscripts for publication, present the research work internally and externally at national/international conferences, and develop new ideas for the funded research.

• Perform in situ AFM investigations of solution structure and interfacial dynamics at liquid-solid interfaces.
• Synthesize inorganic nanomaterials.
• Prepare manuscripts and presentations.
• Ability to work in collaboration with a diverse group of scientists and technical staff across the national lab, including experimentalists and computational modelers.
• Have strong safety-oriented laboratory skills.
• Ability to recognize abnormal operating conditions, correct and report to supervisor and warranty provider in a timely and responsible manner.
• Adapt, refine, or innovate experimental tools as needed.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills, and a demonstrated record of publishing in first class journals.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have received a PhD within the past five years (60 months) or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering or a related field.
• Background in one or more of the following research areas, involving nanoscale materials synthesis and characterization, interfacial surface chemistry, electrochemistry, and geochemistry.
• Strong background in atomic force microscopy, preferably with in-situ imaging in fluids.
• Experience operating in diverse…