Postdoctoral Appointee -- Atomistic and Molecular Scale Modeling of Materials, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Livermore (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements (9/80, 4/10

Relocation assistance

Generous benefits

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee in Materials Physics to join an interdisciplinary team advancing the understanding of material behavior under extreme conditions. The role focuses on kinetic Monte Carlo, MD, DD, and/or DFT simulations to study oxide formation, helium bubble nucleation, and hydride stability, with strong ties to experimental work.

You will publish findings in peer‑reviewed journals, present at meetings, and work onsite to collaborate with experts

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• Strong record of peer‑reviewed publications.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.

Responsibilities

• Apply atomistic simulations (DFT, MD, kinetic MC) to study interstitial interactions with metals under extreme environments.
• Develop models of microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of aging structural materials.
• Work independently and contribute to team efforts; present results at meetings and in journals.

Skills

C++

Python

Machine learning

Teamwork

UNIX/Linux

Education

Ph.D. in Materials Science/Physics/Chemistry/Engineering

Tools

LAMMPS

VASP

OVITO

VMD

ParaDIS

Job description

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 are seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee with a focused background in kinetic Monte Carlo, Molecular Dynamics (MD), Dislocation Dynamics (DD), and/or Density Functional Theory (DFT) to join our interdisciplinary team of scientists and professionals. As part of this work, you will apply fundamental scientific principles in complex material simulations for property estimation and mechanism discovery. Examples include oxide formation in various metallic systems, nucleation and growth mechanisms of helium bubbles, as well as hydride formation and stability in irradiated materials. Our work strongly couples both experimental and theoretical approaches to provide innovative and robust solutions. This work is expected to lead to the publication of research findings in peer reviewed journal articles and technical reports.

On Any Given Day, you may be called on to:

• Apply atomistic simulations (e.g., DFT, molecular dynamics, kinetic Monte Carlo) to study problems related to interstitial interactions with metals in extreme environments.
• Interact with experts in diverse fields to develop models of microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of aging structural materials.
• Work independently as well as contribute creatively to team efforts
• Present results at national/international meetings and publish research in high profile peer‑reviewed journals

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Qualifications We Require

• Ph.D. in Material Science, Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
• Demonstrated experience publishing peer‑reviewed journal articles
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Qualifications We Desire

• Strong written and communication skills
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Demonstrated technical background in atomic scale modeling
• Experience with materials physics
• modeling interstitial interactions with materials
• radiation damage in materials
• Familiarity with UNIX/Linux operating systems and code development (HPC environments)
• Proficiency in modern programming languages such as C++ and Python
• Experience with modeling and simulation tools; ability to assess tool capabilities and limitations when selecting and utilizing tools to perform simulations
• Skills at utilizing high‑performance computing resources to efficiently manage and perform large‑scale simulations
• Experience with atomistic simulation codes (e.g. LAMMPS), and visualization software (e.g. OVITO, VMD)
• Experience with DFT codes (e.g. VASP)
• Dislocation Dynamics experience (e.g. ParaDIS)
• Experience with machine learning

About Our Team

The Materials Physics department performs fundamental research on the structure and properties of materials to support programs in energy research, device physics, materials reliability, and national security. Specific activities include experimental and modeling studies of surface electronic structure and surface atomic structure and dynamics of metals, oxides, low dimensional semiconductors, and adsorbates; atomic‑scale structure and composition analysis of metals, semiconductors, and composites; electrical and optical properties of low‑dimensional semiconductors and optoelectronic devices; and the structural and electrochemical characterization of solid‑state ionic materials. The Department supports internal and external sponsors and government agencies that seek solutions to problems of fundamental scientific inquiry, energy sustainability, and national defense.

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.

• Job ID: 698620
• Job Family: 92
• Regular/Temporary Position: T
• Full/Part-Time Status: F