Postdoctoral Research Associate - Materials for Emerging Technologies

Requisition Id 12412 

Overview: 

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral researcher: materials for emerging technologies who will focus on working with multi-disciplinary teams to develop new materials for emerging technologies. The complex thermo-mechanical gyrations and thermal signatures in different processes result in unique microstructures and properties. A strong background in physical metallurgy of steels will be important for this position to correlate the process-microstructure-property relationships.  This position resides in the Materials for Advanced Manufacturing Group in the Materials Science and Processing Section, Materials Science and Technology Division, Physical Sciences Directorate, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).  

As part of our team, you will work with a multi-disciplinary team of research and technical staff at ORNL to characterize steels like H13, Stainless steel 316, Grade 91 steel fabricated using different techniques like laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), directed energy deposition (DED), and powder metallurgy. The focus will be on determining the underlying phase transformation pathways and their impacts on the material properties as well as development of appropriate post-process heat treatments.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Conduct characterization of different steels processed via a host of technologies like LPBF, DED and powder metallurgy using scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)
• Mechanical characterization like hardness and tensile testing.
• Engaging with researchers and technical staff to understand the nuances of different processes and advice on future steps based on materials characterization.
• Publishing the findings in high-quality papers, writing reports, and disseminating the information in technical conferences.
• Safe conduct of research in line with ORNL’s Safe Conduct of Research (SCoR) principles.
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, or a related field completed within the last 5 years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A strong background in the physical metallurgy of steels
• Metallographic preparation of samples
• Independent operation of microscopes and hardness testers

• A background in thermo-kinetic calculations to understand phase evolution.
• Ability to use and interpret data from digital image correlation to understand strain evolution and partitioning during tensile testing
• Background in different processing routes like additive manufacturing and powder metallurgy is desirable
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory 
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to [email protected] with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Benefits at ORNL:  

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: [email protected] .

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email [email protected].

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.