Postdoctoral Research Associate-Optical Spectroscopy
About The Position
As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation. The Isotope Applications Research (IAR) group is a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers working to advance technologies and knowledge for the production and application of radioisotopes and nuclear materials. The successful candidate will be integrated into multiple efforts within the group focused on integrating computational and experimental approaches within the data science, process analytical technology, and chemical processing domains to address technology challenges for raidoistoope production and application.
Requirements
- Completed a PhD in chemistry, physics, engineering, or a related field within the last 5 years or expect to complete it by January 2027.
- Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
- Applicants cannot receive their PhD more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment.
- Successful candidates must be qualified for access to technology subject to export control requirements without an export control license.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, molten salt systems, and radioactive material handling.
- Hands-on expertise in lasers, optics, and optical emission spectroscopy.
- Experience designing custom experimental hardware, vacuum systems, and plasma diagnostics.
- Experience applying machine learning methods for predictive analysis.
- Expereince with the Python programming language.
- Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team environment on scientifically challenging problems.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate research results in peer-reviewed publications.
- Good interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
Responsibilities
- Develop and operate advanced optical spectroscopy systems including laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, optical emission spectroscopy, and plasma diagnostics.
- Design and execute experiments involving molten salts, radioactive materials, and/or gas handling systems.
- Publish scientific papers and internal reports resulting from this research and present results at the appropriate settings.
- Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our cove values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Science.
- As a member of the ORNL scientific community, you will be expected to commit to ORNL’s Research Code of Conduct.
Benefits
- medical and retirement plans
- flexible work hours
- on-site fitness
- banking
- cafeteria facilities
- Prescription Drug Plan
- Dental Plan
- Vision Plan
- 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Contributory Pension Plan
- Life Insurance
- Disability Benefits
- Generous Vacation and Holidays
- Parental Leave
- Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection
- Employee Assistance Plan
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Health Savings Accounts
- Wellness Programs
- Educational Assistance
- Relocation Assistance
- Employee Discounts
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
