Chemist/Materials Scientist

LLNL•Livermore, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

We have an opening for a Chemist/Materials Scientist to support research activities associated with the development and deployment of optics used in laser systems including the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and other high power laser systems. As part of a multi-disciplinary team working in the Optical Materials S&T program in the NIF & Photon Science directorate, you will conduct experiments, help develop and implement chemical processes, and perform surface and materials characterization on projects that aim to advance the next generation of technology in optical materials fabrication, processing, coating, and finishing. This position is in the Optical Materials Group within the Materials Science Division. This position will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level. This position requires full-time on-site presence due to the nature of the work. This position will be filled at either level based on knowledge and related experience as assessed by the hiring team. Additional job responsibilities (outlined below) will be assigned if hired at the higher level.

Requirements

Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Materials Engineering or related field or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Experience performing wet-chemistry processes or experiments in a general chemistry laboratory, industrial, or cleanroom setting.
Experience performing optical or materials characterizations such as ellipsometry, spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, microscopy or interferometry.
Experience using software packages to collect, analyze, and document scientific results.
Organizational skills to maintain a safe laboratory and to keep datasets managed and accessible.
Sufficient verbal and written communication skills to document research results.
Interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment as part of an inclusive and multi-disciplinary team.
Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field or the equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Broad experience identifying, defining, and executing multi-disciplinary experiments or solving multi-disciplinary problems in a timely, cost-effective manner.
Comprehensive knowledge of laboratory operations or chemical/material process development and the ability to meet schedule deliverables for multiple concurrent projects with a range of priorities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with wet etch processes, thermal processing, and clean room protocols and associated equipment.
Familiarity with optical fabrication or Chemical Mechanical Planarization processing, and characterization techniques, and associated equipment.
Familiarity with materials and surface characterization tools (white light interferometry, indentation, particle size measurement, optical microscopy, profilometry, scanning electron microscopy).

Responsibilities

Conduct wet-chemistry laboratory experiments, including activities such as etching, coating, slurry preparation, bonding, thermal processing, and grinding & polishing.
Identify necessary supplies; measure optical and material properties; operate, maintain, and commission laboratory instruments and equipment.
Perform wet etching and chemical processing of optics in a clean room environment.
Maintain an accurate and detailed laboratory notebook; generate, organize, and analyze experimental data; and participate in research and project planning.
Provide technical support to engineers and scientists in research and development projects.
Develop, define and prepare operating procedures while maintaining laboratory safety standards.
Prepare progress reports and presentations to supervisor/mentor and project teams.
Serve as a key team member in cutting-edge optics research and development.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Provide science-based engineering solutions or independent technical analysis to resolve moderately complex to complex technical issues.
Select methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria to obtain results based on analysis of multiple factors.
Collaborate on the development of technology in optical materials fabrication; perform research guided by multiple primary investigators.