Postdoctoral Appointee - R&D Modeling Batteries and Battery Systems (Onsite)
Sandia National Laboratories
Albuquerque, USA
Job posting number: #7245837 (Ref:Sa693417)
Posted: June 29, 2024
Job Description
About Sandia:
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
- Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
- Extraordinary co-workers
- Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
- Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
- Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
- Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov*These benefits vary by job classification.
What Your Job Will Be Like:
We are seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to join our team. The Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Systems Department has a Postdoctoral Researcher position that may be a great fit if you are interested in modeling batteries and battery systems. The postdoctoral researcher will develop and implement models for Li and non-Lithium battery systems.
The successful candidate will develop first-principle, reduced-order, and data-driven models of cell and battery performance and degradation using a combination of finite-element forward models, surrogate models, and hybrid machine learning techniques. The researcher will work with a multi-disciplinary group and interact with researchers at Sandia and Universities working on battery development, modeling, and characterization.
On any given day you may be called on to:
- Develop models for batteries and energy storage systems
- Contribute to the development of open-source software tools for battery modeling
- Document research findings for internal and external publication
- Present on research progress at group meetings, peer review events, and technical conferences
Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. The salary is set for this position at $95,500 annually.
Qualifications We Require:
- PhD in Chemical Engineering, Electrochemical/Energy Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or closely related engineering or natural science field
- Experience with computational modeling, reduced-order modeling, or data analytics
- Code development or scripting experience
- Strong interpersonal communication skills, including written and verbal communications, as evidenced through publications and/or conference presentations
Qualifications We Desire:
- Experience with batteries, other energy storage technologies, or grid-scale storage applications
- Experience with machine learning or artificial intelligence, particularly physics-informed/physics-constrained machine learning or multi-fidelity surrogate modeling
- Python and/or C++ code development experience
- Expertise with the Linux operating system
- Experience with zinc batteries
- Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal direction while engaging with peers in a group environment
About Our Team:
The Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Systems Department is focused on the development and integration of power conversion devices and systems into our future electric grid. The department has numerous projects with the Energy Storage Technology and Systems Department, which focuses on the development of advanced energy storage technologies, safety and reliability of energy storage systems, and the development of methods and tools to evaluate the performance of storage systems. Department members also coordinate closely with related programs/projects managed in 8920 (renewable energy technologies), 8300 (vehicle technologies), and draw upon proficiencies in 1300 (electrical sciences), 1500 (engineering sciences), and 1800 (advanced materials and devices).
Posting Duration:
This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.
Security Clearance:
This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.
Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.
If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.
EEO:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.
NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:
If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.
If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.
Position Information:
This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.
Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.
Job ID: 693417
Job Family: 92
Regular/Temporary Position: T
Full/Part-Time Status: F
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.