Postdoctoral Research Associate - Materials and Composites Processing Group

Requisition Id 13987 

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 support the Materials and Composites Processing Group in the Materials Science and Technology Division, Physical Sciences Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).  

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• The Materials Science and Technology Division (MSTD) within the Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking to fill a post-doctoral position in the Metals and Composites Processing Group group with a focus on developing a relationship between alloy design, processing, and microstructural characterization.  Key activities include performing microstructural characterization using electron microscopy, atom probe tomography and other advanced characterization techniques, and assisting in developing an understanding of the microstructural evolution and its relationship to mechanical behavior in steels, aluminum alloys, and Ni-based alloys. This knowledge will be used to evaluate the suitability of these alloys in automotive, industrial, and nuclear applications.

• 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, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related discipline

• Hands-on experience with microstructural characterization tools including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron back-scattered diffraction 

• Experience in characterizing microstructure, and microstructural evolution in precipitation-hardenable, high temperature alloy systems

• Hands-on experience in the use of image analysis techniques for quantitative characterization of 3-D microstructural evolution

• Good understanding of materials processing techniques and their effect on microstructural evolution

• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to communicate in English to an international scientific audience

• Self-motivated and safety conscious

• Ability to set priorities, multi-task and adapt to ever changing needs with the proven ability to function well in a fast-paced environment in order to meet task deadlines

• An excellent record of productive and creative research demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals and patents

• Ability to work with both autonomously and collaboratively in a team environment, as needed

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office (including Word, PowerPoint and Excel)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in studying precipitation behavior and structure-property relationships in Al, steels and Ni-based alloys

• Hands-on skills in the use of atom probe tomography, and surface analysis techniques

• Expertise in correlating microstructure with tensile, creep and fatigue properties

• Exposure to x-ray and neutron scattering techniques

• Experience in interacting with industrial collaborators

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 Postdocrecruiting@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

About ORNL:

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.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family.

Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added 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.

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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.