Materials Scientist for High Temperature Processes

National Laboratory of the Rockies • Golden, CO

22h • Onsite

About The Position

NLR, the National Laboratory of the Rockies, located in Golden, Colorado, is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development. It is a mission-driven environment focused on accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration, committed to an affordable and secure energy future. NLR works to solve complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions, strengthening U.S. industries, supporting job creation, and promoting national economic growth. The lab offers state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories, robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package. The position seeks a subject-matter expert and hands-on experimental researcher in materials science, primarily focused on characterizing the chemical, physical, and microstructural evolution of materials in high-temperature processes, including iron ore and critical materials reduction, alloying and steelmaking, and molten-salt electrochemistry. The researcher will also develop novel techniques for industrial materials processing problems. Core responsibilities include project ideation, proposal development, and partner relationship management. Safe research conduct, including managing high-temperature laboratories, is essential.

Requirements

• Relevant PhD
• Or, relevant Master's Degree and 3 or more years of experience
• Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 5 or more years of experience
• Demonstrates complete understanding and wide application of scientific technical procedures, principles, theories and concepts in the field
• General knowledge of other related disciplines
• Demonstrates leadership in one or more areas of team, task or project lead responsibilities
• Demonstrated experience in management of projects
• Very good technical writing, interpersonal and communication skills
• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date
• Expertise in high-temperature synthetic chemistry
• Expertise in molten-salt electrochemistry
• Expertise in inorganic chemistry
• Expertise in thermodynamics and kinetics
• Expertise in degradation mechanisms (e.g., corrosion, chemical changes)
• Expertise in analytical characterization (SEM/EDS/EBSD with sample preparation, nanoCT/tomography, XRD with Rietveld refinement, optical microscopy including etching, polarized light, and digital image analysis)
• Expertise in thermochemical modeling using FactSage and HSC Chemistry
• Record of peer-reviewed publications relevant to this role
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Ability to design high-quality research projects
• Ability to analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental results
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills with a strong record of contributions to the field
• Teamwork, mentorship, project management, and leadership
• Proven ability to participate in, facilitate, and lead collaborations across diverse, interdisciplinary teams
• Ability to foster inclusive teamwork and amplify the unique talents and innovative ideas of collaborators from varied backgrounds
• Demonstrated record of safe research conduct, including experience managing laboratories dedicated to high-temperature work
• Ability to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation
• Ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NLR by the Department of Energy (DOE)
• Pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment

Nice To Haves

• Experience collaborating with large, interdisciplinary teams
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Experience establishing new laboratory capabilities
• Mentorship and/or teaching experience

Responsibilities

• Co-lead a project investigating the physical, thermal, and chemical properties of low-sulfur coke to improve steelmaking quality for electric arc furnaces
• Lead nanotomographic characterization of samples at staged reduction (ore to metal) to identify microstructural changes that affect final properties
• Characterize products from molten-salt electrochemical processes, including carbon deposition and carbide formation in mild steels subjected to molten-salt treatments
• Evaluate and mitigate corrosion in molten-salt systems, including chloride salts
• Lead proposal development and partnership building in metallurgy, electrochemistry, and advanced processing
• Project ideation
• Proposal development
• Partner relationship management

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Pension benefits
• 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match
• Life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• Personal time off (PTO)
• Sick leave
• Paid holidays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component (may be eligible for, not guaranteed)
• Relocation expense reimbursement (some positions may be eligible)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree