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 vacations, 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 dedicated and creative Postdoctoral Appointee in the areas of chemistry, chemical engineering, or material science to support scientific investigations of the geochemical environment and conditions of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the world's only licensed and operating deep geological repository for the disposal of transuranic waste. You will use your expertise, experience, and education with chemical analyses in brine systems to support the advancement of geochemical models for WIPP’s chemical conditions. You will join a hardworking and multi-disciplinary team to identify analyses needing to be performed, design and conduct those analyses, leading to parameterization of the geochemical models for WIPP.

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

• Support the initiation, design, development, execution, and evaluation of new processes, products, and systems through basic and applied research.
• Support R&D toward a fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of geochemical phenomena and of observable facts.
• Assist with the development of new understanding and capabilities by using the scientific method’s hypothesis, test, and evaluation techniques; critical review; and other engineering R&D methods.

This position is located in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite at Sandia's Carlsbad, NM site.

Qualifications We Require:

• PhD in Chemistry, Geosciences, or other closely related, relevant field (e.g., Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Environmental Engineering)
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

• Ability to conduct and communicate creative, independent research as proven through a record of high technical accomplishment (e.g., publications in high-impact scientific journals and/or presentations at national/international conferences)
• Experience or education with analytical chemistry methods, electrochemistry or geochemistry experimental design
• Experience or education with geochemical models, or molecular simulation
• Working knowledge of the following instruments used in analytical chemistry: ICP-MS, ICP-AES, Ion Chromatograph, TGA, TOC Analyzer, XRD, Scanning electron microscope and Electron Dispersion Spectrometer, Gloveboxes, General: balances, pipettes, titrators, pH meters, stirrers, sonicator, glassware
• Previous internship experience in chemical analysis
• Experience and/or education with any simulation programs, and statistics software
• Strong interpersonal skills including respectful collaboration and communication, oral and written communication skills, and proven record of excellence in the technical field

About Our Team:

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the world's only licensed and operating deep geologic repository for the disposal of transuranic waste. WIPP is operated by Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC, under contract to the Department of Energy's Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO). Sandia provides scientific advice to CBFO in many areas, including modifications to the repository's operating permits, periodic recertification of the repository, on- going monitoring of repository performance against regulatory requirements, and optimization of the national transuranic waste complex. The Repository Performance Department, part of Sandia's Defense Waste Management Programs Group, provides the experimental and fieldwork capability needed to assist CBFO in assuring continued and uninterrupted certification and permitting of WIPP.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) 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: 693825

Job Family: 92

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: F

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.