Postdoctoral Appointee - Metal Additive Manufacturing, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Affordable housing

Minimal traffic

Recruiters review resumes manually

Structured interview process

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories seeks a Postdoctoral Appointee in Metal Additive Manufacturing to advance laser-powder directed energy deposition processes for novel alloys. You will design experiments, characterize microstructures, and collaborate across teams to push the state-of-the-art in metal AM for national security applications.

Onsite work is required; the team focuses on advanced metals processing, laser machining, and rapid prototyping.

Qualifications

• PhD in materials science, metallurgy, mechanical engineering or related field.
• Experience with additive manufacturing technologies or physical metallurgy.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.
• Expertise with laser- and powder-based metal AM techniques, especially DED.

Responsibilities

• Develop an additive manufacturing process tailored to a new alloy.
• Perform detailed characterization on a part microstructure to determine its formation and impact.
• Design AM techniques for compositionally graded parts or multi-material manufacturing.
• Collaborate with Sandia scientists and external partners to apply metal AM solutions.

Skills

Additive manufacturing

Metallography

AM software

Topology optimization

CALPHAD

AI/ML

Materials characterization

Education

PhD in materials science

PhD in metallurgy

PhD in mechanical engineering

Tools

Laser-DED

Powder bed fusion

Wire-arc DED

Job description

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Postdoctoral Appointee - Metal Additive Manufacturing, 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.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

At the forefront of manufacturing innovation, the Advanced Metals Processing team drives transformative solutions to complex materials challenges that support Sandia's national security mission. As part of Sandia's metal advanced manufacturing initiative, you will develop next-generation manufacturing processes that redefine the state-of-the-art in metal fabrication.

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to study structure-property-processing relationships in materials produced by laser-powder directed energy deposition. In this role you will design and execute experiments to build AM metal parts. You will use your scientific insights to identify key features of the manufacturing process and resulting material to help shape the future of metal AM within the Nuclear Security Enterprise.

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

Develop an additive manufacturing process tailored to a new alloy

Perform detailed characterization on a part microstructure to determine why it formed and how it may affect performance

Design AM techniques for compositionally graded parts or multi-material manufacturing

Collaborate in diverse teams with other Sandia scientists and external partners to identify how metal AM can help solve complex manufacturing problems

Share results through writing manuscripts for peer review, attending conferences, or presenting to Sandia stakeholders

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

Qualifications We Require:

PhD in materials science, metallurgy, mechanical engineering or related field

Experience with additive manufacturing technologies or physical metallurgy

Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

The ideal Postdoctoral Appointee - Metal Additive Manufacturing candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will also possess one or more of the following:

Expertise with laser- and powder- based metal AM techniques, especially directed energy deposition

Experience working with and characterizing metal powders

Experience preparing and characterizing metallographic samples to evaluate microstructure

Proficiency with AM software workflow, topology optimization tools, or computational thermodynamics (CALPHAD) methodology

Familiarity with alloy design and the state of the art in functionally graded or compositionally graded materials (FGM, CGM)

Record of technical excellence demonstrated by publications and conference presentations

The ability to conduct creative independent research

Experience with AI, machine learning, or data science

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

About Our Team:

Sandia National Laboratories Organization 1812 encompasses both the Advanced Metal Processing Department and the Rapid Development Machine Shop. The Rapid Development Machine Shop specializes in advanced machining techniques, offering engineering expertise as well as agile prototyping and small-lot production capabilities. The Advanced Metal Processing Department focuses on cutting-edge R&D in metal additive manufacturing, laser machining, and laser surface modification. Our metal additive manufacturing capabilities include alloy development, qualification and acceptance, geometric design and optimization, as well as process innovation. Current additive manufacturing platforms employ laser powder bed fusion, laser-powder directed energy deposition (DED), and wire-arc DED to produce components from a wide range of conventional and specialty alloys. Our staff is engaged in providing collaborative, innovative materials science and systems-based engineering solutions to support the Sandia mission.

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.

• Affordable housing, reasonable cost of living
• Minimal traffic congestion compared to larger cities
• At Sandia, recruiters manually review resumes on each job posting instead of using a resume screening software program
• By following the best practices outlined, this ensures that recruiters can accurately determine your qualifications for the position