Chemical Engineer

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, each with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment.

In addition, we have the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The Energy and Environment Directorate delivers science and technology solutions for the nation’s biggest energy and environmental challenges. Our more than 1,700 staff support the Department of Energy (DOE), delivering on key DOE mission areas including: modernizing our nation’s power grid, researching, developing, validating, and effectively utilizing renewable energy and efficiency technologies, and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

The Energy Processes and Materials Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, creates and delivers real‑world solutions that support the DOE’s goals for national energy security. We deliver new technologies that connect fundamental science to applications in energy storage, advanced materials manufacturing, applied catalysis, advanced separations, biomass conversions, carbon capture and utilization, and hydrogen production and storage.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the Institute for Integrated Catalysis (IIC) represent scientific and engineering leadership in catalysis research for the nation and world, serving a wide variety of federal and commercial clients. PNNL’s Advanced Energy Systems Group has an opening for a Chemical Engineer in Applied Catalysis to support heterogeneous catalyst development and testing for applications related to in‑vehicle emissions aftertreatment.

The candidate will work with project teams to pursue structural and functional understandings of the catalysts, using a suite of state‑of‑the‑art instruments and collaborating with staff performing the corresponding computational chemistry. The position will support several projects, with an initial focus on heterogeneous catalysis for engine exhaust aftertreatment for NOx reduction and CO & hydrocarbon oxidations.

Key activities include:

• Performing catalyst evaluations and characterizing performance using bench‑scale testing, spectroscopy, microscopy, and textural analysis.
• Analyzing results to understand barriers that current and emerging catalyst systems face, and presenting findings internally and externally.
• Leading manuscript development and maintaining a strong publication record in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Participating in the development of research proposals.
• Training and mentoring junior staff as needed.
• Interacting and communicating with a diverse research team and tackling complex problems.
• Working independently when required.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS/BA and 2 years of relevant experience – OR – MS/MA – OR – PhD

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, or equivalent.
• Experience with catalyst development and testing for engine exhaust after‑treatment.
• Experience in nanomaterial synthesis, characterization using spectroscopic techniques, and reaction kinetics measurements to unravel elementary details of catalytic reaction mechanisms.
• Experience with characterization techniques such as NMR, FTIR, LC‑MS, HPLC, GC‑MS, and associated data analysis.
• Experience working with a diverse set of government and/or industry teams.
• A demonstrated ability to contribute to the development of successful competitive research proposals for government and private clients.

This position involves working in a laboratory environment.

This is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP).

Our laboratory is committed to fostering a work environment where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect…