About this opportunity
NLR lists this Postdoctoral Researcher – Battery and Critical Minerals/Materials R&D Research opportunity in golden, Colorado. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.
Job description
Posting Title
Postdoctoral Researcher – Battery and Critical Minerals/Materials R&D Research.
Location CO - Golden.
Position Type Postdoc (Fixed Term).
Hours Per Week 40.
Working at NLR.
Job Description
NLR's Battery Materials Group develops materials for battery applications and other critical mineral and material technologies.
The Group has an opening for one or more postdoctoral researchers.
This position will support hands‑on materials science research and development with a focus on lab work to support lithium‑ion‑battery materials development projects and critical mineral/material separation and electrochemical processing projects.
The technologies of interest include conventional lithium‑ion materials and next‑generation battery technologies as well as electrochemical deposition for critical materials processing.
The successful candidate will perform some of the following tasks:
design experiments and experimental matrices
synthesize, process, and/or coat battery materials
perform in‑situ and ex‑situ materials characterization
fabricate electrodes
fabricate electrochemical cells
perform electrochemical testing
separate critical materials
deposit critical materials electrochemically
analyze electrochemical and materials characterization data from experiments
and work with project task leads to write papers and reports
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 engineering, chemistry, materials science, or physics
Experience fabricating and testing electrochemical cells
Experience conducting materials characterization for critical minerals/materials or battery materials
Experience synthesizing, depositing, separating, or processing critical minerals/materials or battery materials
Demonstrated ability to work independently
Demonstrated ability to process, plot, and interpret electrochemical data
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and writing skills
Demonstrated teamwork, creativity, innovation, and adaptability
Ability to attend and present research to the scientific community
Preferred Qualifications
Python, MATLAB, Igor Pro, or other coding expertise for developing data analysis and processing tools
Experience synthesizing or processing battery electrode materials
Experience fabricating battery coin or pouch cells
Experience conducting battery‑specific materials characterization
Experience fabricating battery electrodes
Experience with electrochemical deposition
Experience with critical mineral/materials processing
Experience synthesizing and testing solid‑state electrolytes
Experience with water‑in‑salt, high‑concentration, or hydrate‑melt electrolytes
Experience with advanced lithium‑ion battery materials such as silicon, or advanced cathodes such as LMFP, low Co materials like LMR, DRX, etc.
Experience with next generation battery materials development, such as Na‑ion, Sulfur, or other conversion cathodes
Experience with designing or testing batteries for non‑traditional applications (high power, ultra‑safe, fast charge, low temp, etc.)
Experience working on outside‑of‑the‑box cell designs such as in‑situ cells or advanced components like light‑weight current collectors and advanced separators to improve safety or performance
Expertise in analytical electrochemistry and identifying degradation mechanisms
Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)
Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400
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.
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.
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 For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish. 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.
Company Overview
The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security. With locations in Golden and Boulder, Colorado, Fairbanks, Alaska, and a satellite office in Washington, D.C., NLR bridges foundational research with practical applications to develop and bring to scale new energy materials and technologies that lower energy costs, drive economic growth, and deliver abundant and reliable energy.
NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions.
All candidates must be authorized to access the facility per DOE rules and guidance within a reasonable time frame for the specified position in order to be considered for an interview and for hiring. DOE rules for site access during the interview process depend on whether the candidate is interviewed on‑site, off‑site, or via telephone or videoconference. 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. Additionally, DOE contractor employees are prohibited from participating in certain Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs (FGTRPs). If a candidate is currently participating in an FGTRP, they will be required to disclose their participation after receiving an offer of employment and may be required to disengage from participation in the FGTRP prior to commencing employment. Any offer of employment is conditional on the ability to obtain work authorization and to be granted access to NLR by the Department of Energy (DOE).
Drug Free Workplace NLR is committed to maintaining a drug‑free workplace in accordance with 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.
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Worksite address
golden, CO, 80401, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.