About this role
Postdoctoral Appointee - CINT, Onsite
Albuquerque, NM
Job ID: 699351 Apply Now
Bidder Eligibility:
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.
Employees, excluding student interns, must remain in their current position for one year from their hire date before bidding on a new job. However, the hiring manager may obtain approval to consider a candidate before the one-year requirement is met via the review process. This approval must be secured prior to being interviewed for a posted position. The application of this requirement will not supersede collective bargaining agreements. Please refer to the collective bargaining labor agreements for eligibility requirements for represented bidders.
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 vacation, 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:
Are you passionate about performing experimental research in the field of materials science and mechanical behavior of materials? Are you collaboration-focused and want to join a diverse team that solves significant issues facing our nation and the world? You could be the postdoctoral appointee that we are looking for to work in the area of reliable microdevices and electronic packaging for harsh environments! This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly productive and collaborative network of scientists.
The primary project involves the development of materials and novel microelectronic packaging solutions that can survive harsh environments, including temperatures up to 200C and repetitive shock/impact loading. Some important elements include:
Understand existing microelectronic packaging solutions that may offer a viable solution or provide a baseline from which to innovate
Invent, design, and develop new concepts for microelectronic packaging
Coordinate the manufacture of candidate packaging solutions
Take advantage of Sandia's in-house manufacturing capabilities including the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Innovation (CAMINO) and the Microsystems Engineering, Science, and Applications (MESA) complex; while also considering external manufacturing resources to achieve product goals
Perform or coordinate the testing of candidate packaging solution in relevant environments
Coordinate your research with a large product development team
Communicate your progress internally at team meetings and externally at research conferences
Publish high-quality technical research articles related to your research outcomes
Complementing that primary project goal, you will also participate in a research team advancing the state of the art in the domain of mechanical behavior of materials. Active research in this domain includes:
Micro- and nanomechanical testing methods including nanoindentation, micropillar compression, MEMS-based thin film testing, microtensile methods, and conventional load frame-based mechanical testing
Advanced characterization methods including: Electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, chemical spectroscopies, electron backscatter diffraction, and x-ray diffraction.
In-situ material testing at the micro- and nano-scale
Development and implementation of high-throughput testing methods
Implementation of autonomous self-driving lab capabilities
Collaboration with materials modeling and machine learning specialists
There are also opportunities open to new research pathways as well as to engage with complementary research efforts and interact with a broad spectrum of scientists internal and external to the laboratory.
Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. Relocation will be provided for those that qualify.
Qualifications We Require:
PhD in a physical science or engineering discipline (e.g., Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field) must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.
Documented experience in both oral presentation settings and in published communication
Familiarity with microelectronic packaging strategies.
Experience working on an engineering or scientific research team
Qualifications We Desire:
We realize that no one will have all the background we desire, so any subset of these skills could make you a candidate for the project, especially if you want to grow in these areas through your own skill development and through collaborations:
Experience developing microelectronic packaging solutions
Experience with harsh environment testing, including elevated temperatures and/or shock/impact testing
Familiarity with product design, including CAD software such as SolidWorks
Experience in coordinating the fabrication and testing of materials or product coupons using state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques
Experience with mechanical testing of materials (e.g., conventional load frame-based mechanical testing, nanoindentation, micropillar compression, thin film testing, or related techniques)
Experience with materials characterization techniques (e.g. scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and/or other characterization techniques)
Familiarity with machine learning and data science methodologies
Experience with in situ electron microscopy experiments (such as nanomechanical testing, heating, environmental exposure, etc.)
Experience with autonomous experimentation, Bayesian optimization, active learning, or other AI/ML-driven experimental workflows
Proficiency with programming for instrument control, data analysis, and/or workflow automation using Python or similar software
Familiarity with additive manufacturing processes and the characterization of additively manufactured materials
Familiarity with thin film deposition, processing, and microstructural characterization
Experience in using electron microscopy for diffraction analysis and defect analysis
Familiarity with constitutive modeling, finite element analysis, or molecular dynamics as applied to mechanical behavior
Capacity for conception, design, control, and execution of experiments
Ability to work as an independent researcher with a high level of scientific judgment, as well as to collaborate with other researchers in a diverse team
Experience with MEMS-based mechanical testing, microtensile methods, or other custom small-scale testing platforms
About Our Team:
Our team spans across several departments, offering a broad collaborative environment. Some of the topics our team is known for include:
Scientific discovery and peer-reviewed publications on nanotechnology, material science, microsystems, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and related fields
Solutions for research and development problems involving mechanical properties of materials
Relationships and dependencies among materials structures, composition, properties, performance, reliability, and service environments
Diagnostics and modeling that enable deep scientific investigations of material behavior and prevention of failure
Pioneering approaches to autonomous experimentation and AI-accelerated materials discovery
This department supports the Center for Integrated Nanotechnology (CINT). CINT is a Department of Energy/Office of Science N