Experienced Synthetic Materials Chemist (Onsite)

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.

We are seeking an outstanding synthetic materials chemist to establish both an independent research program and a develop a user program with capabilities on offer to the external user community at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), a DOE-funded user facility. Our ideal candidate is a recognized synthetic materials chemistry expert with a substantive body of doctoral-level research performed in an academic or other professional research and development settings who has the proven capability to operate at a high level within a DOE user facility or other such formal research center. The successful candidate will be a synthetic chemist working in an area of interest to the Soft, Biological, and Composite Nanomaterials Thrust at CINT. Of particular interest are synthesis, characterization, and applications of polymers and/or nanoparticles, but outstanding candidates working to synthesize other materials that have synergistic opportunities will be considered. The successful candidate will support AI-guided design, combinatorial synthesis, and circular materials workflows

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

• Lead the development of new synthetic techniques in materials chemistry.
• Collaborate with other researchers at the laboratory, around the country, or around the world.
• Lead or collaborate in the development of new projects from a variety of funding agencies.
• Communicate results through high impact journals and 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.

$114,000 - $227,500

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

• A bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development.

• Graduate degree in a Materials Science or a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation).
• Familiarity with operation of standard laboratory equipment, and standard laboratory processes.
• Ability to prioritize and teach others basic chemistry tasks, including the operation of standard laboratory equipment, and standard laboratory processes.
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral, and preferably prior experience in writing both published peer-reviewed articles and grant proposals.
• Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to contribute and work in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Experience in a research and development environment.
• Experience with materials characterization techniques.
• Experience working on teams consisting of multidisciplinary and multi-disciplinary experimentalist, modelers, and theorists with a common goal

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in the synthesis of nanomaterials.
• Record of technical achievement as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications in high profile journals.
• Experience with modern tools of AI-based synthesis and characterization.
• 2 or more years of relevant experience after PhD.
• Experience in the synthesis, characterization, and applications of nanoparticles or polymeric nanosystems.
• Experience with advanced characterization of nanomaterials or nanocomposites using appropriate nanoscale techniques, such as x-ray characterization or electron microscopy.
• Experience with any of the unique capabilities of CINT's SBCN thrust, including microfluidic systems, advanced optical microscopy, experiment automation using artificial intelligence or machine learning, and cryogenic or environmental TEM.
• Experience in CINT's strategic areas of growth, including artificial intelligence-based synthesis and manufacturing, metastable materials discovery, and sustainable critical materials recovery or replacement.
• Experience with proposal writing, managing multi-institution collaborations, and managing lab personnel.

The Nanosystems Synthesis and Analysis Department consists of CINT scientific research staff assigned to the Physical, Chemical, & Nanosciences Center at Sandia National Laboratories. CINT is a DOE/Office of Science National User Facility operated jointly by Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories with facilities at both Laboratories. The CINT Science Department is dedicated to establishing the scientific principles that govern the design, performance, and integration of nanoscale materials into microscale and macroscale systems and devices.

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.

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are also a citizen of the United States.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. 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.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

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.

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.