Postdoctoral Research Associate - Phase Contrast Neutron Imaging

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 a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible (DEIA) environment that encourages a variety of ideas and perspectives. This commitment is essential for fulfilling ORNL's mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and translate them into solutions for energy, environment, and security issues facing the nation. We are currently seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the Materials Engineering Group within the Neutron Scattering Division (NSD) of the Neutron Sciences Directorate (NScD) at ORNL. The focus of this position will be on utilizing advanced neutron imaging techniques, specifically neutron grating interferometry (nGI), to investigate nano-sized features in bulk materials at the MARS facility. This role offers an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on experience with neutron imaging instrumentation and to contribute to the advancement of nGI for material science research through innovative instrumentation and computational methods. The successful candidate will also have the chance to leverage ORNL's world-class neutron scattering capabilities to address critical scientific questions in material science research. In this role, you will be expected to contribute to the advancement of neutron grating interferometry and conduct high-quality research using neutron scattering techniques. You will publish scientific papers and present your findings at national and international conferences. Additionally, you will champion neutron sciences within the ORNL community and among peers globally, while actively participating in creating an inclusive work environment for a diverse community of users, staff, postdocs, and students. Your work will align with ORNL's core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service, and you will promote DEIA by fostering a respectful workplace culture.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the advancement of neutron grating interferometry and pursue high-quality research using neutron scattering.
• Publish scientific papers and present results from this research at national and international meetings as appropriate.
• Champion neutron sciences within the ORNL community and among national and international peers.
• Participate in an inclusive work environment for a diverse community of users, staff, postdocs, and students.
• 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 physics, chemistry, materials science, computational sciences, biology, applied physics, engineering, or a related field completed within the last 5 years.
• Experience in neutron/X-ray grating interferometry, including instrumentation and computational methods.
• Experience in neutron/X-ray radiography and tomography.
• Experience in neutron/X-ray small angle scattering.
• Experience in general material characterization techniques.
• Programming skills using modern languages.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and 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.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in neutron/X-ray grating interferometry, including instrumentation and computational methods.
• Experience in neutron/X-ray radiography and tomography.
• Experience in neutron/X-ray small angle scattering.
• Experience in general material characterization techniques.
• Programming skills using modern languages.

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