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
• 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 vacations, 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://www.sandia.gov*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a motivated and dedicated postdoctoral appointee to join Sandia’s Energy Storage Technologies & Systems team to conduct grid energy storage research and development that is focused on the reliability, performance, and safety of energy storage systems for grid energy storage applications. Current topics of interest include long-duration energy storage batteries, Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries, and novel aqueous batteries. Research will focus on materials characterization, as well as performance and state-of-health analysis, of commercial systems and R&D prototypes.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Work with an interdisciplinary team to advance understanding of the reliability and life span of long-duration energy storage systems
• Apply problem solving and critical thinking needed to conduct this work, such as project planning, data acquisition and instrument control, and test management
• Coordinate, perform, and/or analyze data from materials characterization
• Prepare experiments and analyze data from tests using commercial batteries
• Publish research in technical journals
• Present research at technical conferences

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite at the Sandia Albuquerque location.

Qualifications We Require:

• PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry or a closely related field
• Laboratory experience with materials characterization and electrochemistry
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

• Familiarity or experience with battery materials and energy storage systems alongside theoretical and practical understanding of electrochemistry as it relates to batteries
• Background in analytical and materials characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron microscopy (SEM/EDS,etc.)
• Laboratory focus and willingness to spend the majority of the workday in a laboratory environment
• Familiarity with data acquisition and control of instrumentation for monitoring electrical, thermal, and mechanical variables
• Ability to work in a team environment and support efforts to meet testing schedules
• Excellent communication skills, including reporting of technical results in both written and presentation form

About Our Team:

The Energy Storage Technology and Systems Department is focused on the development of advanced energy storage technologies and systems including the development of low-cost battery technologies, safety and reliability of energy storage systems, power electronics and power conversion systems, computational and analytical tools for efficient utilization of energy storage in the electricity infrastructure. In addition, the department manages several activities for the DOE OE Energy Storage program related to the deployment and demonstration of new energy storage projects, including the development of methods and tools to evaluate the performance of storage systems, and methods for the optimal utilization of energy storage assets. The department works closely with a number of departments across Sandia in materials sciences, power sources, electrical sciences, fire science, power systems, renewables and grid integration. We also have active collaborations with many stakeholders in the electricity industry including electric utilities, product developers, universities and other national laboratories to enable the development and rapid integration of energy storage technologies in the electricity infrastructure.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Position Information:

This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.

Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.

Job ID: 692934