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:

Sandia/California’s Bioresource and Environmental Security department is seeking a dedicated and hardworking Postdoctoral Scientist (job title: JBEI Postdoctoral Bio/chem) with expertise in chemistry, chemical engineering, or materials science to join the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) Catalytic Lignin Depolymerization team to develop novel technologies for the efficient feedstock-agnostic deconstruction of lignocellulose. We are currently developing lignin deconstruction technologies using novel solvents and catalysts. The selected candidate will continue these efforts and develop technologies to efficiently fractionate and depolymerize lignin from lignocellulose into useful streams that can be further upgraded chemically and/or biochemically into valuable products. We are seeking an individual with proficiency in developing, screening, and characterizing the performance of solvents and chemical catalysts, especially one with previous experience with lignin, and who can work with biochemists and microbiologists to explore development of hybrid lignin depolymerization technologies. This will be a multi-disciplinary effort, with opportunities to work with a wide range of experts in national labs and industry to conduct state-of-the-art R&D in lignocellulosic biofuels.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Design and screen solvents capable of fractionating and deconstructing lignin from lignocellulose.
• Develop catalysts to depolymerize lignin fractionated from different wild type and engineered lignocellulosic biomass.
• Develop catalytic lignin depolymerization protocols and identify major products in the depolymerized stream.
• Collaborate with microbiologists to develop methods to upgrade depolymerized lignin into bioproducts.
• Participate in laboratory management and mentoring student interns.
• Present results at project meetings and conferences.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Qualifications We Require:

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, or other relevant closely related field.
• Experience conducting and communicating creative, independent research, as evidenced by technical accomplishment through publications in peer-reviewed journals and/or presentations at scientific conferences.

Qualifications We Desire:

• Experience in research with set timelines.
• Prior experience with biomass manipulation.
• Strong analytical characterization background (1D and 2D NMR, GC-MS, LC-MS, GPC, NIR, FTIR, and Raman Spectroscopy).
• Proven experience with developing tailored catalysts for molecular depolymerization of lignin.
• Proven experience with developing hybrid approaches of lignin conversion.
• Prior experience with machine learning and multi-variate image analysis.
• Handling high pressure reactors and in-line process monitoring.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

About Our Team:

The Bioresource and Environmental Security department is located within the Applied Biosciences and Engineering group and develops and applies biotechnological solutions towards important energy, health, and environmental challenges.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Position Information:

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.

Job ID: 695489

Job Family: 92

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: F