Postdoctoral Research Associate - Life Cycle Assessment Research

Requisition Id 13900 

Overview: 

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Research & Analysis (MEERA) Group in the Manufacturing Science Division (MSD), Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to work in the areas of life cycle energy impacts analysis, technoeconomic analysis, and industrial energy efficiency analysis research under the Strategic Analysis and Industrial Energy Efficiency Programs.

The MEERA Group supports a multi-laboratory DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office’s (AMO) Strategic Analysis Team that conducts independent, objective, and credible research analysis to inform decision-making. To gain insights on manufacturing supply chains, the team conducts techno-economics, value chain, trade, patent, and global manufacturing competitiveness analysis relevant to advanced manufacturing technologies. The team builds and applies analysis tools and analytics to draw insights on the manufacturing sector’s impact on energy, water, carbon, and materials productivity throughout the U.S. economy and to identify opportunities for improvement. Through the Industrial Energy Efficiency Program, the MEERA Group develops a diverse portfolio of industrial energy efficiency tools and resources which are delivered to the manufacturing sector through various technical assistance and training events worldwide.

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.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Conduct the techno-economics, value chain, and global manufacturing competitiveness analysis in the areas of sustainable manufacturing, circular economy, smart manufacturing, and water-energy nexus
• Analyze the supply chain and material flows through a product’s entire lifecycle can help to identify energy, material, and water savings opportunities throughout the greater U.S. economy, including the production and delivery of energy and energy use within the industrial, transportation, and buildings sectors
• Support MEERA Group’s industrial technical deployment (Better Plants) and Energy System Software Tools development projects
• Support the development of new resources, training, and tools to support companies participating in the DOE’s Better Plants program
• 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 mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, or a related discipline completed within the last five years
• Quantitative and analytical research background which can be applied to conduct research analysis on advanced manufacturing technologies and manufacturing systems that could achieve transformative gains in process productivity and enhance manufacturing sustainability
• Ability to develop optimization and life cycle models analyzing advanced manufacturing technologies and energy and transportation systems of the future
• Strong analytical capabilities with an experience in the area of life cycle energy and cost assessments for conducting manufacturing technology assessments

Preferred Qualifications:

• An educational background in sustainable manufacturing technologies with an emphasis on circular economy research

• Experience in manufacturing process modeling of advanced manufacturing technologies
• Proficiency in the use of industry standard modeling and simulation tools, such as spreadsheet-based process cost modeling, input/output modeling, and commercially available life cycle analysis tools such as SimaPro and openLCA
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• 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

Please contact Sachin Nimbalkar at nimbalkarsu@ornl.gov or (865) 576-3590 for further details.

Special Requirements:

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 up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may 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 the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, 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 or call 1.866.963.9545.

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.