Materials Assessment and Compatibility Scientist

What You Will Do

Sigma-1 is seeking qualified applicants for a Scientist 2. The Sigma Complex is a unique prototyping and fabrication facility that specializes in providing material, components, and manufacturing science to the Los Alamos experimental programs. The experimental mission spans the US nuclear weapons program, DOD, work with universities, Intelligence Agencies and many other customers. As part of this mission, Sigma Division works with a broad range of materials that spans metal alloy, ceramic, and composite materials containing elements from hydrogen to beryllium to uranium, with a strong emphasis on unconventional materials.

You will work in a highly collaborative team environment, interfacing routinely with other Sigma Division staff as well as deployed personnel (Industrial Hygiene, Health Physics, Shipping, Facility Operations) to complete program objectives. You will work with several different pressure/vacuum/gas systems, including using existing systems to conduct experiments and designing new systems to meet specific experimental objectives. Daily operations will require understanding and application of pressure and vacuum system technology, mechanical design/CAD and construction, machining, experimental control and data acquisition, analytical techniques and instrumentation, surface chemistry, and chemical kinetics.

You will communicate results through oral and written reports to a diverse group of scientists, engineers, technicians, and technologists. Organization skills and working in a team-based environment are required to achieve these goals.

You will be responsible for:

• Designing, hypothesizing, conducting scientific experiments and analyzing, drawing conclusions from the experimental results
• Preparing, processing, analyzing and testing of polymers, ceramics, plastics, metals and material composites

Leading and supporting project development by developing original ideas for funding proposals and whitepapers. You will apply the scientific method to address technical problems, operate and troubleshoot commercial and 'home-built' equipment, including glove boxes, furnace, hot-presses and analyze data from experiments in the context of the underlying scientific principles or models. You will interface directly with staff scientists in carrying out collaborative work and communication of results, both verbally and in writing.

Minimum

Job Requirements:

• Significant knowledge and experience in developing and implementing technical research and development projects including the formulation and testing of hypotheses, investigation of alternative solutions, and recommendation of solutions to technical problems.
• Significant knowledge and experience in formulating and presenting results to technical audiences and readerships. Significant knowledge and experience of appropriate safe practices for technical work
• Experience in developing and studying polymers/ceramics/metals/hydrides/polymer composites preparation, processing, testing and analysis
• Advance chemistry/chemical engineering/materials processing knowledge and skills.
• Ability to develop and modify equipment design, experimental methods, and procedures to achieve prescribed experiment objectives
• Motivated to be a self-guided learner of new techniques under the supervision of more experienced personnel.
• Willingness to work with radioactive materials and other hazardous materials, chemicals and solvents in a rigorous safety environment.

Positions requires a Bachelor' degree in a STEM field from an accredited college and university and 4 years of related experience, typically with post-doctoral research experience at a university or national lab or equivalent experience directly related to the occupation.

• Hands-on experience in developing, troubleshooting and implementing material models
• Experience with materials synthesis, preparation and characterization techniques (XRD, electron microscopes, FT-IR/Raman, Auger spectrometers, etc.,)
• Expert level experience with studying materials mechanical, chemical and physical properties, materials compatibility with other materials and components and ageing phenomena.
• Experience in operating and/or maintaining analytical instrumentation.
• Advanced hands-on experience (5 years) with sample preparation in glove box, and data acquisition and analysis resulting in reports or published manuscripts.

(can perform with or without reasonable accommodation):
Ability to apply torque with hands or arms, good hand eye coordination and fine motor control, ability to lift 25 pounds to a height of 3-4 feet and load into an enclosed space.

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs…