Post Masters Research Associate - Mechanical Engineer

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 Energy and Environment Directoratedeliversscience 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 to maintain a reliable, affordable, secure, and resilient electricity delivery infrastructure; research, development, validation, and effective utilization of renewable energy and efficiency technologies that improve the affordability, reliability, resiliency, and security of the American energy system;

and resolving complex issues in nuclear science, energy, and environmental management.

TThe Earth Systems Science Division, part of the Energy and Environment Directorate, provides leadership and solutions that advance Earth system opportunities for energy systems and national security. We are a multidisciplinary division connected by a shared commitment to innovate and collaborate towards solving complex problems in the dynamic Earth system.

The Environmental/Integrated Sensors team within the Earth System Predictability & Resiliency Group of ESSD is seeking candidates to lead key tasks and support interdisciplinary projects including:

1) developing advanced sensing systems for earth system science and renewable energy. These next-generation sensors are not only fast, accurate, and versatile in terms of system performance but also lightweight, small, and soft. They can also be adapted for challenging environments such as deep subsurface and the Arctic environments, as well as for chemical detection.

2) studying the environmental impact of conventional hydropower and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy systems by detecting and tracking fish or other animals in the river or ocean using underwater acoustic telemetry.

3) studying and mitigating the environmental impact of wind energy by detecting and tracking bats and birds using radio telemetry.

4) developing advanced energy-harvesting systems for small sensors and transmitters as well as remote sensing platforms.

The primary scope of this position includes advanced sensor design, signal acquisition, data processing and algorithm development in laboratory settings and field environment, generation of intellectual properties, and writing of high-impact papers.

Job responsibilities include a mix of office work, laboratory work, and field work. Tasks will include designing and fabricating mechanical systems and sensor housings, designing experiments, conducting laboratory experiments of systems and components, acquiring data in laboratory and field environments, processing and analyzing experiment data, generating intellectual properties, writing high-impact papers, and contributing to the development of proposals for funding. This candidate is expected to play a crucial role in our team, with a specific emphasis on hands‑on field testing and troubleshooting.

We require that this individual dedicates a minimum of 25% of their working hours to field operations, especially during spring and summer seasons.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have received a Master’s degree within the past 24…