Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher – Controlling Charges in 2D Materials and Plasmonic Nanostructures

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NLR

NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Job Description

The Chemistry and Nanoscience Center is looking for a Postdoctoral researcher to aid in the basic understanding and controlling of charge generation, separation, and recombination within photoactive nanomaterials.

The successful applicant will have expertise in synthesis, manipulation, and characterization of 2D materials and/or plasmonic nanostructures, such as transition metal dichalcogenides or metal nanoparticles, with a focus on probing charge transfer at interfaces by tuning the optoelectronic properties, coupling to plasmonic systems, and/or create unique 2D interfaces. Synthesis of 2D layers via top down (mechanical, surfactant, and chemical exfoliation) and bottom up (chemical vapor deposition, solvo/hydrothermal growth) methods will be leveraged within the postdoctoral research along with wet-chemical synthesis of plasmonic heterointerfaces. Doping, functionalization, defect engineering, plasmonic interactions, and engineered/dynamically generated strain will be needed to tune optoelectronic properties along with characterization tools. The successful candidate will utilize these experimental design tools to create and probe 2D materials, metal nanoparticles, and heterojunctions to control the generation, separation and recombination of photogenerated charges.

Therefore, the successful candidate should have experience with or show evidence of the ability to quickly learn new techniques such as Confocal Raman/photoluminescence spectroscopy and microscopy, atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, transient absorption, etc. Additionally, the successful applicant should have expertise in data analysis, experimental design, and writing of manuscripts. The successful applicant will have experience working in a team of material scientists, chemists, spectroscopists, and theorists to probe and understand surfaces and interfaces of newly developed chemistries and architectures.

The initial appointment is for 1 year with extension of up to 3 years total preferred, provided mutual satisfaction and availability of funds.

Please include a cover letter to complete your application.

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Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• PhD in Chemistry, Material Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related fields.
• Established track record in scientific writing, presentation, publication, and communication.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates should have direct experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Nanostructure synthesis with a focus on 2D materials or plasmonics

• Surface functionalization, phase control, and/or defect engineering of nanostructures

• Designing, making, and modifying heterostructures

• Characterization of the optoelectronic properties of semiconductors

• Spectroscopy or microscopy of nanomaterials surfaces

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400

NLR takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NLR is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

E -Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.