Chemist

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.

Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.

The National Security Directorate (NSD) drives science-based, mission-focused solutions to take on complex,real-world threats to our nation and the world.

The Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Technologies Division, within the National Security Directorate, works across fundamental science, research and development, and operations to counter emerging national security threats. We focus on discovering signatures and understanding threats by creating materials, methods, and technologies to detect and analyze them. Our researchers deliver the solutions necessary for addressing complex mission challenges, such as explosives detection, biological threat detection, chemical and nuclear forensics, and special nuclear materials.

Applicants should have significant, hands‑on experience performing research in a chemistry laboratory. May specialize in:

• Analytical Chemistry: performs qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic compounds, inorganic compounds, or biologics to determine chemical compositions and/or physical properties by verifying their identity, purity, and homogeneity.
• Inorganic Chemistry: investigates the properties and behaviors of inorganic compounds and materials, which include metals, metal oxides, and complexes, both natural and synthetic, as well as main group and organometallic compounds.
• Nuclear Chemistry: studies reactions that take place inside the nucleus of atoms, such as fission and fusion processes, including the production of radionuclides, or studies the effects of ionizing radiation on materials, living organisms, and the environment.
• Radiochemistry: develops and/or applies chemical techniques to study naturally occurring and manmade radionuclides and employs chemical concepts for processing irradiated materials. Applies chemical techniques involving radiotracers to investigate chemical, biochemical, or biomedical questions.
• Physical Chemistry: studies how matter behaves at both the molecular and atomic level, how chemical reactions occur, and develops new theories, such as how complex structures are formed.

Applicants should have a demonstrated track record of independent contribution to research programs, a growing publication record, have begun to build a national reputation in the field, and possess the ability to interact with dynamic, multi‑disciplinary teams in a task lead role. The selected candidate will mentor and support peers and junior staff in technical growth, lead projects, write proposals, and network with technical peer groups.

Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the work and team-based projects, effective written and oral communication, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to collaborate are essential. Applicants should be creative and capable of productive research, both independently and as part of interdisciplinary teams. The selected individual will experience professional growth through excellent performance on projects via networking internally and externally to PNNL.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA and 2 years of relevant experience
  -OR-
• MS/MA
  -OR-
• PhD

Preferred Qualifications:

• Applicants must be comfortable working independently and within matrixed teams.
• Experience planning, conducting, and reporting experimental work is required, as evidenced by peer‑reviewed publications.
• Demonstrated expertise with chemical dissolution and separations from bulk matrices.
• Experience handling environmental level up to mid-level quantities of radioactive materials.
• Active Q clearance.

This position involves laboratory work with hazardous chemicals…