Postdoctoral Researcher Position in Electron Microscopy and Data Analytics of Complex Oxides

Photo by Andrea Starr / PNNL

I’m excited to announce that I am hiring a postdoctoral research associate for a new project in electron microscopy and data analytics of complex oxides. This project will utilize our advanced suite of instrumentation and help deliver solutions to grand materials science challenges.

Click here to learn more and apply for this posting!

Position Title: Post Doc Research Associate - Electron Microscopy and Data Analytics of Complex Oxides

Location: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States

Job Description

Contribute to PNNL’s goals in our Chemical Dynamics Initiative to study defects in complex oxides using scanning transmission electron microscopy. As a materials scientist in the Materials Characterization team, you will join a talented, multi-investigator team to investigate the evolution of epitaxial complex oxide thin films and heterostructures in extreme environments. You are expected to contribute significantly to a new project with the goal to understand the atomic-scale structure, chemistry, and properties of these materials using advanced electron microscopy and data analytics. You will also examine emerging quantum phenomena in complex materials systems and grow our correlative atomic-scale characterization capabilities. You will have access to a suite of world-class research instrumentation, including multiple aberration-corrected microscopes and high-performance computing capabilities, as well as the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a unique DOE User Facility on the PNNL campus.

The Ideal Candidate

If you are a highly motivated researcher ready to test your talents and training in Physics, Materials, or Chemistry and hone your skills at a national laboratory widely recognized for its work in the physical sciences, we want to connect with you. Details are below; you do not need to meet all of the preferred qualifications to be considered.

What you will do:

• Conduct independent research and work on team assignments

• Lead manuscript development and maintain a strong overall publication record in the peer-reviewed scientific literature

• Interact, communicate, and problem solve with a diverse team of research staff

• Present research at technical conferences and project/program review meetings

• Participate in the development of research proposals

Minimum Qualifications

• Candidates must have received a PhD within the past five years (60 months) or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge, practical experience, and a strong publication record in complex oxide thin film characterization. Previous research experience on understanding structure-property relationships in precisely designed heteroepitaxial thin films and devices is highly preferred.

• Hands-on experience in aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).

• Hands-on experience in atomic-resolution imaging and spectroscopy of complex oxide and semiconductor materials.

• Experience in multislice image simulation codes (µSTEM, PRISMATIC, QSTEM, etc.) and their integration with atomistic simulations.

• Knowledge of data analytics and image processing to quantify electron microscopy imaging and spectral data sets.

• Experience in focused ion beam (FIB) sample preparation.

• Familiarity with atom probe tomography (APT) and correlative STEM-APT analysis methods.

• The ability to adapt, refine, or innovate experimental tools based on research needs.

• Ability to work independently and take initiative in the completion of tasks important to the projects. These include preparation of first drafts of papers for peer-reviewed journals, technical presentations at scientific conferences.

• Ability to work in collaboration with a diverse group of scientists and technical staff, ability to communicate effectively with experimentalist and computational modeling colleagues.

• Previous postdoc experience is highly preferred.

• Strong verbal and written communications skills.

• Ph.D. in Materials Sciences, Physics, Physical Chemistry, or related field

Equal Employment Opportunity

Battelle Memorial Institute (BMI) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. All BMI staff must be able to demonstrate the legal right to work in the United States. BMI is an E-Verify employer. Learn more at jobs.pnnl.gov.

Please be aware that the Department of Energy (DOE) prohibits DOE employees and contractors from participation in certain foreign government talent recruitment programs. If you are offered a position at PNNL and are currently a participant in a foreign government talent recruitment program you will be required to disclose this information before your first day of employment.

Other Information

• Radiological worker-I & II training will be required for this position, since some of our instrumentation is located in radiologically controlled spaces, but no work with radiological samples will be conducted.

• The work requires familiarity with chemical and radiological hazards.