Post Doc

Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos (NM); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PPO or high deductible medical insurance

401(k) with matching contributions

Flexible schedules

Job summary

Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Radioisotope Power Systems Design Engineering Team. This role focuses on actinide chemistry and materials science for nuclear power systems, requiring a doctorate in science or engineering and skills in ceramic fabrication.

The position offers benefits such as medical insurance, 401(k) with matching contributions, and flexible scheduling. Candidates must be U.S. citizens eligible for Q clearance.

Qualifications

• Training and experience in ceramic engineering or ceramic fabrication.
• Ability to document technical results in formal formats.
• Experience with data manipulation and interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Optimize formation of ceramic solids through hot‑pressing.
• Work with radioactive materials under safety procedures.
• Write technical documents and present findings.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Excellent communication

Teamwork

Education

Doctorate degree in science or engineering

Tools

Ceramic fabrication techniques

Job description

What You Will Do

The Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Design Engineering Team is the nation’s central hub for expertise in radioisotope power system design. The team defines and maintains the technical baseline for RPS designs while supporting government, program offices, and production agencies. It focuses on heat‑source design, safety and requirements flowdown, anomaly resolution, and research through modeling and experimentation. The Postdoctoral position contributes primarily to actinide chemistry and materials science of ceramics for nuclear power systems.

• Optimize the formation of ceramic solids by hot‑pressing and characterize these solids, measuring and analyzing powder characteristics such as particle size distribution, surface area, and surface energy to relate to the resulting ceramic properties.
• Work with radioactive or hazardous materials under applicable safety procedures.
• Apply scientific or engineering principles, practices, and tools to continuously improve manufacturing processes.
• Write technical documents and present technical work at internal and external meetings, seminars, and conferences.

Minimum Job Requirements

• Doctorate degree in science or engineering from an accredited institution.
• Training and experience in ceramic engineering or ceramic fabrication, demonstrated through research, analysis, and publications.
• Analytical thinking skills, including experience in data manipulation and interpretation.
• Ability to document technical results in formal formats.
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and presentation skills.
• Eligibility to obtain a Q clearance (requires U.S. citizenship).

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing and executing experiments to evaluate hot‑pressing performance of actinide oxide solids and to improve manufacturing quality.
• Experience with gas management in nuclear fuels.
• Experience modeling density gradients and thermal loading in ceramic solids, especially nuclear fuels.

Work Location

Onsite in Los Alamos, NM. Work location is at the discretion of management.

Benefits

• PPO or high deductible medical insurance with a large nationwide network.
• Dental and vision insurance.
• Basic life and disability insurance.
• Paid childbirth and parental leave.
• Award‑winning 401(k) with 6% matching plus 3.5% annual increases.
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance.
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays).
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs.
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50‑mile radius).

Security Clearance

Position requires a Q clearance. Eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens (or meet specific rare exceptions). Clearance is granted by the Federal Government through a background investigation.

New‑Employment Drug Test

Applicants must complete a new‑employment drug test. A positive test for marijuana will result in termination, even if the use was pre‑offer.

Equal Opportunity

Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, or citizenship (within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws).