Postdoctoral Research Associate - Irradiation Materials Analysis (13299)

Requisition Id 13299 

Overview: 

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will focus on material property testing, analysis, and modeling of reactor isotope production target materials. This involves the development of experimental plans to examine material properties such as thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion – material properties critical to understanding target behavior during irradiation in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). This could also involve development, validation, and deployment of new physical and analytical testing methods towards improving our understanding of unique target materials. You will be working with scientists, engineers, technicians, and safety and quality assurance staff to support material testing and fabrication efforts that advance HFIR isotope production targets. We are seeking a person who can be a team player with excellent attention to detail, critical thinking ability, and strong communication skills.

About the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate (ISED):

Established in 2020, the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate is strengthening Oak Ridge National Laboratory's leadership in isotope production and enrichment technology innovation. ISED is guiding the Lab's pursuit of the fundamental science and technology that broadens the application of isotopes for energy, environmental, medical, and national security purposes. These efforts are made possible through the High Flux Isotope Reactor, the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC), ORNL's other nuclear facilities, and an assemblage of world-leading scientists and engineers.  Please visit https://www.ornl.gov/directorate/isotopes for more information about ISED.

This position resides within the Target Design, Analysis, and Qualification (TDAQ) group in the Radioisotope Production Engineering and Analysis Section, in the Radioisotope Science and Technology Division of the Isotope Science and Engineering Directorate. The TDAQ group enables the production of a variety of important medical, scientific, and industrial radioisotopes by developing target designs that are safe, efficient, and reliable. These include several alpha/beta emitting radioisotopes either deployed or under clinical trial for treatment of cancer (e.g., Ac-225, Ac-227, Ra-224/Pb-212, and W-188); heavy actinides Bk-249, Es-254, and Fm-257 for fundamental chemistry research and new element discovery; Cf-252 for neutron emitting applications; Pu-238 for space exploration; and Ni-63, Pm-147, and Ba-133 for industrial applications. The list of radioisotopes produced at ORNL is constantly expanding to meet global demand, and the TDAQ group is expanding to support this effort. Supporting the largest radioisotope research and production portfolio within the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science for Isotope R&D and Production, as well as extensive isotope production programs for the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy and National Nuclear Safety Administration, this position will grant you the opportunity to work with rare nuclear materials and the unique facilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including HFIR and REDC.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, validate, and deploy material property testing methodologies for the analysis of existing and new/advanced target designs. These methodologies principally include thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion but also could include other mechanical and chemical properties, as necessary.


• Support research and development on alternative target designs, including alternative material matrices for pressed cermet pellets, complex geometries of pellets, novel encapsulation methodologies, and other innovations utilizing advanced manufacturing.


• Collaborate within ORNL and with external institutions to prepare proposals and participate in novel research advancing radioisotope targetry, processing, and handling as well as various other aspects of radioisotope production.


• Pursue high quality research and prepare peer-reviewed journal articles, reports, and presentations for sponsors and the technical community.


• Deliver ORNL's mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace - in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in materials science and engineering, or a similar field completed within the last 5 years.


• Demonstrated ability to communicate research results in peer-reviewed publications.


• Experience with techniques for analysis of thermal transport properties such as laser flash diffusivity analysis, transient plane source method, dilatometry, and thermal analysis (DSC/TGA).


• Hands-on experience in materials characterization using tools such as particle size analysis, optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction.


• Strong understanding in fundamental metallic, ceramic, and hybrid materials science as well as some familiarity with a variety of manufacturing processes.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with advanced/additive manufacturing.


• Experience working in radiological environment.


• Experience in heat transfer and thermal modeling/simulation using finite-element analysis (FEA) or other software.


• Excellent oral communication skills including presentations.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently with a sense of autonomy while also contributing creatively to a collaborative team environment.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You may upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov


• View Profile


• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Benefits at ORNL:

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people! The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include the following: 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, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.