Postdoctoral Research Associate - Chemical Separations

Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Oak Ridge, TN

Full-time - Entry Level

Oak Ridge, TN

5,001-10,000 employees

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has a rich history of over 80 years dedicated to solving some of the nation's most pressing challenges. With a workforce of more than 6,000 individuals, ORNL is committed to fostering an environment that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). This commitment is essential for enabling the laboratory to fulfill its mission of accelerating scientific discoveries and translating them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security issues facing the nation. We are currently seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate specializing in chemical separations and coordination chemistry. The successful candidate will investigate and apply principles of molecular recognition and supramolecular chemistry to separate both non-radioactive and radioactive ions that are significant for clean energy and environmental applications. This position is situated within the Chemical Separations Group of the Chemical Sciences Division, Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) at ORNL. The role offers the opportunity to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of experts in various fields, including organic and inorganic synthesis, thermodynamics, laser spectroscopy, materials characterization, and nuclear chemistry. The Chemical Separations Group is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced instruments such as a triple-quad ICP mass spectrometer, single-crystal X-ray diffractometer, and ultrafast laser systems. The research conducted will focus on developing innovative chelation strategies aimed at selectively binding rare earth elements, alkaline earth elements, and anions, as well as applying these chelators in solid-liquid and liquid-liquid separation processes. The successful candidate will be expected to deliver impactful research results and contribute to the laboratory's mission by aligning their work with ORNL's core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on synthesis and characterization of novel organic compounds to meet project goals.
• Use a variety of methods to characterize and evaluate newly synthesized molecular receptors (e.g., TLC, HPLC, potentiometric titrimetry, UV-vis spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction).
• Execute solid-liquid and liquid-liquid separations experiments and evaluate the results using analytical techniques such as ICP-OES and ICP-MS.
• Participate in project planning and execution.
• Present and report research results at group meetings and national conferences.
• Publish scientific results in high-impact peer-reviewed journals in a timely manner.
• 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.

Requirements

• A PhD in chemistry, or a related field completed within the last 5 years.
• Strong background in separations and coordination chemistry.
• Proficiency in the synthesis of new organic compounds and isolation/purification techniques (e.g., column chromatography, crystallization).
• Experience with characterization methods (e.g., NMR, UV-vis, and FT-IR spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, HPLC).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.

Nice-to-haves

• Highly motivated and enthusiastic go-getter with the ability to work independently to drive projects forward.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever-changing needs.

Benefits

• Health savings account
• Relocation assistance
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible spending account
• Tuition reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Employee assistance program
• Vision insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Life insurance
• Pet insurance