Postdoctoral Appointee - Advanced Thin Films & Processing, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 60,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM seeks a Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct design, research, and analysis of Chemical Vapor Deposition polymer films. You will design deposition systems, perform experiments, characterize coatings, and analyze results in a collaborative environment with access to world-class facilities.

On any given day you may plan experiments involving oxidative chemical vapor deposition, study aging effects, design vacuum systems, and publish work at journals and

Qualifications

• PhD conferred within 5 years prior to employment.
• Experience with vapor deposition processes, specifically O-CVD, and thin film characterization.
• History of publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Plan and perform experiments involving O-CVD; collect and analyze data on microstructure, mechanical and electrical properties.
• Study aging-related effects on conductive polymer coatings.
• Design and construct vacuum systems for CVD.
• Publish journal articles and present work at conferences.

Skills

Vapor deposition

O-CVD

Thin film characterization

Education

PhD in Materials Science/Engineering/Chemistry/Physics

Job description

Job ID: 698422

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Temporary

About Sandia

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.

What Your Job Will Be Like

We seek a motivated Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct innovative design, research, and analysis of Chemical Vapor Deposited Conductive Polymer Films. In this position, your work may range from designing deposition systems, performing experiments, characterization of coatings, and analyzing results. You will work in a collaborative environment with a complementary team and have access to some of the world's most powerful facilities, tools, and expertise to evaluate film performance in a wide variety of environments. Publications and presentations at both internal and external conferences and journals will be expected and encouraged.

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

• Plan and perform experiments involving Oxidative Chemical Vapor Deposition (O-CVD); collect and analyze data with the goal of investigating how process parameters affect microstructure, mechanical, and electrical performance properties.
• Study aging-related effects on conductive polymer coatings.
• Design and construct vacuum systems for CVD.
• Interact and collaborate with other inter-disciplinary research groups within Sandia National Laboratories to develop new combinatorial approaches to deposition and high-throughput film characterization techniques
• Publish journal articles and present work at local and national conferences.

Please note: Due to the nature of the work the selected applicant must be able to work onsite in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Relocation provided for those who qualify.

Qualifications We Require

• PhD in Materials Science Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or a related field to be conferred within 5 years prior to employment
• Experience with vapor deposition processes, specifically O-CVD, and thin film characterization techniques
• History of publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific and/or technical conferences
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q security clearance

Qualifications We Desire

• Experience with other deposition techniques, PVD, CVD, and/or ALD.
• Experience with operating medium- and high-vacuum systems
• Experience with characterizing thin film microstructure and properties
• Excellent ability to translate technical work to a broad audience, as evidenced by peer reviewed publications and invited/contributed talks
• Ability to work well in a team environment, including strong verbal communication skills and ability to work with others

About Our Team

The Advanced Thin Films & Processing Department provides scientific and engineering expertise in thin films and surface modification to support SNLs national security mission. Our work focuses on tailoring surface chemistry and material properties to enable advanced applications and address complex technical challenges. The department maintains broad capabilities in thin-film deposition and characterization, including sputter deposition, electron beam evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, and atomic layer deposition. Our team also leverages specialized processing and analysis tools to develop, prepare, and evaluate novel thin films and coatings. We are committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment that values a broad range of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. Through an inclusive culture, we aim to build a strong community where employees can grow professionally while contributing to meaningful national security work.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. 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.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

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.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

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.

Position Information

This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.

Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.