Group Leader: Materials and Device Evaluation

Argonne National Laboratory•Lemont, IL

1d•$148,125 - $231,075

About The Position

The Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division at Argonne National Laboratory seeks a Group Leader to establish scientific vision, strategic direction, and operational leadership for a multidisciplinary research group focused on materials characterization, diagnostics, and autonomous discovery. The role advances fundamental and applied understanding of relationships among materials composition, structure, processing, performance, and degradation. The group will build on Argonne’s work in energy storage and electrochemical science while extending its impact to energy conversion, catalysis, separations, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability. The Group Leader will develop and apply integrated materials and chemistry diagnostic capabilities, including physical, spectroscopic, metallographic, electrochemical, and related characterization methods. The work emphasizes rigorous, systematic evaluation that enables comparisons among materials, components, failure mechanisms, and technologies. Research may include characterizing materials and interfaces under controlled and air-free conditions, including electrodes, separators, electrolytes, and other environmentally sensitive materials systems. The role will establish a research program integrating automation, data infrastructure, machine learning, and agentic artificial intelligence to accelerate materials analysis, experimental planning, and autonomous discovery. As a scientific leader and principal investigator, the Group Leader will define and execute a high-impact research agenda; develop programs and sponsor relationships; lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams; and cultivate collaborations across Argonne, the national laboratory system, academia, industry, and government agencies. The Group Leader will work with Department, Theme, and Division leadership to grow the group, steward personnel and resources, and align activities with the strategic priorities of the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne, the U.S. Department of Energy, and other sponsors.

Requirements

Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, physics, or a closely related field, with postdoctoral and/or professional research experience.
Demonstrated record of high-impact research in materials characterization, diagnostics, electrochemistry, materials degradation, energy-storage science, or related energy-science fields.
Experience with complex materials systems, preferably including battery, electrochemical, or other energy-relevant materials.
Ability to formulate important scientific questions, design and execute rigorous experimental programs, interpret complex data, and translate findings into broadly applicable scientific understanding.
Demonstrated success securing and leading externally funded research programs, including proposal development, scope and budget management, and delivery of sponsor commitments.
Experience leading, mentoring, and developing multidisciplinary research teams.
Strong record of peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and professional recognition appropriate to career stage.
Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork.
Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate scientific vision, technical findings, and strategic priorities to diverse audiences.
Ability to collaborate effectively across disciplines and organizations, including with national laboratories, universities, industry, and government agencies.
Sound judgment and ability to manage competing priorities while fostering accountability, inclusion, scientific integrity, and operational excellence.
Commitment to creating a welcoming, respectful, and collaborative environment where team members can contribute, develop, and succeed.

Nice To Haves

Expertise in one or more advanced characterization approaches, such as spectroscopy, microscopy, diffraction or scattering, metallography, electrochemical testing, thermal analysis, surface or interface analysis, or related techniques.
Interest in and demonstrated ability to advance integration of laboratory automation, data science, machine learning, and/or agentic AI methods into experimental materials research.
Experience working with air-sensitive materials, controlled-environment instrumentation, or complex materials interfaces.

Responsibilities

Provide scientific, technical, and organizational leadership for a multidisciplinary research group.
Define and implement a strategic vision that sustains leadership in energy-storage and electrochemical materials and broadens contributions across energy sciences.
Develop and lead experimental and computational research programs using physical, spectroscopic, metallographic, electrochemical, and related diagnostic methods.
Advance systematic approaches for evaluating materials performance, degradation mechanisms, and failure modes within and across energy technologies.
Establish and expand capabilities in automated experimentation, high-throughput characterization, data management, machine learning, and AI-enabled materials analysis and discovery.
Serve as principal investigator for sponsored research, including project development, proposal preparation, budgeting, execution, reporting, and delivery of research outcomes.
Oversee personnel, facilities, equipment, budget, safety, and resource planning.
Recruit, supervise, mentor, and develop scientific and technical staff, postdoctoral researchers, students, and visiting researchers.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, high-performance research culture that values scientific excellence, professional growth, responsible conduct of research, and diverse perspectives.
Build collaborations with colleagues across Argonne, other national laboratories, universities, industrial partners, and government sponsors.
Publish research; communicate results through presentations, technical reports, and scientific forums; and represent Argonne nationally and internationally.
Identify emerging research opportunities, maintain awareness of advances in materials characterization and AI-enabled science, and develop initiatives to expand the group’s research portfolio.
Ensure group activities comply with Argonne and DOE requirements for safety, security, environmental stewardship, responsible data use, and responsible AI application.