Post Doctorate Research Associate - Controlled Environment Agriculture

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory • Salt Lake City, UT

412d • $69,000 - $119,100

About The Position

The Post Doctorate Research Associate position at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) focuses on conducting research in controlled environment agriculture. The role involves measuring daylight characteristics, analyzing the effects of far-red radiation on productivity, and energy modeling related to agricultural practices. The successful candidate will collaborate with scientists and engineers, contribute to technical papers, and support project management tasks while ensuring high-quality research output.

Requirements

• PhD received within the past five years or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.
• Existing knowledge of controlled environment agriculture systems.
• Experience or interest in analyzing energy use of controlled environment agriculture facilities.
• Basic programming skills for data analysis (e.g., Python, R).
• Ability to work collaboratively with geographically distributed and interdisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to write concisely and clearly.
• Passion for learning and innovation to advance energy efficiency and sustainability.
• Willingness to travel domestically for field work.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with energy modeling software.
• Familiarity with agricultural practices and technologies.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research related to controlled environment agriculture.
• Measure daylight characteristics before and after transmission through glazing.
• Analyze the effect of far-red radiation on productivity.
• Perform energy modeling related to controlled environment agriculture.
• Conduct field measurements and data analysis.
• Write reports on research findings.
• Collaborate with principal investigators on current work.
• Contribute technical content for proposals and assist in project scoping, scheduling, and budgeting.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Health savings account
• Flexible spending accounts
• Basic life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Business travel insurance
• Tuition assistance
• Supplemental parental bonding leave
• Surrogacy and adoption assistance
• Fertility support
• Company funded pension plan
• 401k savings plan
• 120 vacation hours per year
• Ten paid holidays per year

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree