Requisition Id 11964 

Overview: 

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will focus on advancing electron microscopy characterization techniques to investigate a range of material systems, from the microstructural evolution of structural materials at the micro, nano, and atomic scale to the investigation of morphological changes of catalysts during their life cycle. This position is based in the Materials MicroÅnalysis Group (MMÅ) group, but you will collaborate with a diverse group of experimentalists, theorists, and data scientists across different divisions within Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). This position resides within the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), Physical Sciences Directorate at ORNL.

As a postdoc, you will support several projects while advancing data acquisition and data analytics methods for electron microscopy. Structural materials research will be directed toward the correlation of microstructure, composition, and crystallographic orientation with mechanical response (creep, fatigue) at the micro/nano/atomic level using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Catalysis research will focus on analyzing structural changes from the atomic to mesoscale within catalysts and correlating structure, porosity, and compositional changes with synthesis and other applied treatments/reactions. Aberration-corrected and imaging and analytical microscopy techniques, such as electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) methods, and in situ microscopy will be used for this work. You will also work with a multidisciplinary research team to develop electron microscopy characterization techniques suitable for the catalyst and quantitative data analytics methods to determine the factors that govern catalytic processes at the atomic level.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Conduct nanomaterials research using STEM and analytical spectroscopy methods, which will focus on the characterization of catalysis in various conditions (e.g., fresh, conditioned, spent) and additively manufactured alloys in the as- fabricated and after creep/fatigue testing conditions
• Work with staff from the Materials MicroÅnalysis Group and the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Group within the Center for Nanophase Materials (CNMS) to develop advanced data acquisition and data analytics methods using high speed cameras and pixelated STEM detectors.
• Work with staff from Powder Metals and Material Group within Materials for Advanced Manufacturing program to understand correlations between powder and processing of additively process materials structure and properties.
• Coordinate and compare in situ microscopy studies with theory/modeling/lab-scale data
• Responsible for presenting and reporting research and publishing scientific results in peer-reviewed journals in a timely manner
• Ensure compliance with environment, safety, health, and quality program requirements
• Maintain strong dedication to the implementation and perpetuation of values and ethics
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or a related field completed within the last 5 years
• Hands on experience with STEM techniques and a background in aberration-corrected STEM imaging

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong background in aberration-corrected STEM, EELS, EDS, and STEM data acquisition/processing
• Experience with focus ion beam milling (FIB), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
• Background in physical and mechanical properties of structural materials
• Experience with Python coding
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate in English to an international, scientific audience
• An excellent record of productive and creative research demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals and/or presentations at conferences
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory 
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Benefits at ORNL:  

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov .

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.