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 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://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

The Applied Optical and Plasma Science Department is seeking an R&D Post-Doctoral Appointee supporting development of high-throughput, synthetic microstructure generation concepts for accelerated design of advanced materials and the advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to efficiently design and control experiments and map process-structure relationships. Contributing to team efforts in publishing research results and supporting Sandia’s mission areas is a critical aspect of this position. Working closely with Sandia’s highly interdisciplinary staff, this is an extraordinary opportunity to gain mastery over the application of novel algorithms and models for experimental and characterization workflows that supports cutting-edge research and development of unique materials.

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

• Develop new high-throughput, synthetic microstructure generation concepts
• Design novel workflows for autonomously handling materials characterization data
• Develop scripts for the processing of raw data to formats compatible with machine learning algorithms and data ontologies
• Design and/or adapt machine learning algorithms for mapping process-structure-property-performance correlations and enabling autonomous materials discovery and design
• Communicate results through high impact journals as well as through conference presentations

Due to the nature of the work the selected applicant must be able to work onsite in Albuquerque, New Mexico Relocation will be provided for those that qualify.

Qualifications We Require:

• Possess, or pursuing, a PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related field, PhD must be conferred within five years prior to employment
• Significant experience with synthetic and/or experimental microstructures of polycrystalline materials
• Demonstrated experience with Python and/or other scientific programming languages (MATLAB, R, etc.)
• Record of technical achievement as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications
• Able to acquire and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

• Experience with experimental materials characterization techniques such as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)
• Familiarity with the training and design of physics-informed, generative machine learning methods (i.e. Bayesian frameworks, active/reinforcement learning)
• Ability to work in a multifunctional team of scientists with a broad range of backgrounds
• A genuine scientific curiosity and passion for contributing towards answering ‘big questions’ in science and engineering

About Our Team:

The Applied Optical and Plasma Sciences department 1865 operates as a nexus of multidisciplinary experts developing new capabilities to explore fundamental science questions leading to Mission-driven applications. The team’s range of expertise encompass experimental, modeling and simulation, and process development over topics as diverse as material interactions and characterization, optical diagnostic development, plasma science, RF signatures, and thermal performance of materials and interfaces. Much of the work entails creating new tools and capabilities, e.g. data analytics, experimental, or model/simulation, to measure these phenomena. Departmental personnel lead and collaborate on teams with organizations and sponsors across multiple Centers and Divisions.

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 Q-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 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: 695321

Job Family: 92

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: F