Post-Bachelor's Research Associate - Materials Science

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.  

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus. 

The National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science-based, mission-focused solutions to take on complex, real-world threats to our nation and the world.

The Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Technologies Division, within the National Security Directorate, works across fundamental science, research and development, and operations to counter emerging national security threats. We focus on discovering signatures and understanding threats by creating materials, methods, and technologies to detect and analyze them. Our researchers deliver the solutions necessary for addressing complex mission challenges, such as explosives detection, biological threat detection, chemical and nuclear forensics, and special nuclear materials.

Responsibilities

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a multi-program laboratory operated by Battelle for the US DOE. The Chemical and Biological Signatures Group (CBS) is an interdisciplinary group of approximately 50 biologists, chemists, and engineers that solve research and development problems related to national security missions.

CBS is seeking a materials scientist. The successful candidate will be a versatile individual with both applied/hands-on laboratory experience as well as a general understanding of a broad range of measurement and characterization techniques. The candidate will be a member of an inter-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and program managers and will be expected to build networks within and external to the CBS group. Preference will be given to candidates with strength and experience in two or more of the following fields: laboratory methods, materials synthesis and characterization, and biological interactions with surface materials.

Responsibilities will include:

• Applying materials science techniques to well defined assignments in a research and development laboratory
• Working in technical teams to complete well defined project tasks on time and within scope and budget
• Recommending technical approaches and making technical contributions that may ultimately affect the direction of the research
• Working in a laboratory to independently conduct experiments and record and analyze data
• Thoroughly documenting experiments, including methods and results

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have received a Bachelor’s degree within the past 24 months or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.  

Preferred Qualifications:

• BS in Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, or a related field.
• Experience with wide range of chemical and biological measurement and characterization techniques.
• Demonstrated technical aptitude in a laboratory environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience simultaneously balancing multiple projects and tasks is preferred.