Position Title:
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Ames National Laboratory

Appointment Type:
Post Doc/Trainee

Job Description:
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

Would you like to work for a National Laboratory that conducts world-renowned research? Would you enjoy working on a diverse, beautiful, university campus? Can you imagine yourself in a mid-sized location that regularly ranks as one of the U.S. Best Places to Live ? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider a career with Ames Laboratory!

Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy federally contracted National Laboratory located in Ames, Iowa, on the campus of Iowa State University. We are dedicated to translating foundational science through applied research to create technological innovations. We create materials, inspire minds to solve problems, and address some of the most challenging issues facing our world today. We promote and believe in a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, civility, and shared ownership in support of the Laboratory's collective success. We offer an exceptional benefits package including:

• Medical, dental and vision insurance, Wellbeing program, Employee Assistance Program;
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit or defined contribution plans;
• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans;
• Onsite childcare;
• Life insurance and long-term disability;
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Flexible work schedules and hybrid environments (office and telework combinations) are available with some positions.

The Division of Materials Science and Engineering is searching for a qualified Postdoctoral Research Associate available within Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (BES) project involving design of rare earth intermetallic materials with multiple functionalities that arise due to first-order magnetostructural and/or magnetovolume transformations. The BES project focuses on unravelling the intricate relationships between local and itinerant magnetism, bonding, and structure to predict and control stability and polymorphism, sensitivity to a range of external stimuli, and therefore, physical behaviors of 4f-based intermetallic materials.

The candidate will be a member of Dr. Yaroslav Mudryk’s research group and will perform research work aligned with the programmatic goals of this BES project. The candidate will have a full-time access to the state-of-the-art pulsed laser deposition (PLD) facility and will be primarily responsible for the synthesis and characterization of films and heterostructures containing lanthanides. The preference is for a candidate who is proficient in X-ray powder diffraction and electron beam microscopy to analyze crystal structure, morphology and phase composition of the prepared samples, and is able to measure magnetic properties of the selected specimens.

The candidate is expected to collaborate in a diverse team consisting of staff scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, and conduct both collaborative and independent research. Therefore, the successful candidate must be able to effectively communicate with a variety of audiences. The successful candidate will have the ability to plan, initiate, and execute research in collaboration with multiple PIs, write manuscripts and reports, and to present results in research conferences.  Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills with positive attitude are also helpful to provide professional work environment.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

 Ph.D. must be completed prior to start date.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Physics, Materials Science, Inorganic Chemistry or related field
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with PLD systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with intermetallic alloys and compounds, especially those containing rare earths.
• Demonstrated knowledge of magnetism, crystallography, and electronic transport.
• Experience working with air-sensitive materials, using gloveboxes.
• Experience with x-ray powder diffraction, electron beam microscopy, atomic force microscopy

Department Unit/Website:

www.ameslab.gov  

Proposed Start Date:
April 3, 2023

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:
April 2, 2024

Number of Months Employed Per Year:
12 Month Work Period

Time Type:
Full time

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter
3) Contact Information for Three References
If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State University is committed to fostering a workplace of belonging, where diversity is celebrated and equity is a core value. Our Iowa State Postdocs enjoy comprehensive health and work life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans;
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans;
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa);
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program;
• Wellbeing Program.

Original Posting Date:
January 31, 2023

Posting Close Date:
February 28, 2023

Job Requisition Number:
R10931