Postdoctoral Research Associate
- Req. Number: IRC134499
- Organization : E-1/ Mechanical & Thermal Engineering
- City, State: Los Alamos, New Mexico
What You Will Do
We are interested in hiring an ambitious postdoctoral researcher to put on a trajectory to be a national and international leader and resource for robotics activities critical to ensuring safety and national security. The successful candidate will join a team of engineers and scientists working on developing models verified by time and motion studies to plan robotic/remote mining/excavation/dry retrieval of hazardous and radioactive waste. Commercially available technologies for dry retrieval will be evaluated and then down selected to focus on the functions that need to be adapted for the retrieval mission. The time/motion study will be used to provide information about the performance requirements of the technologies, assess the rate and duration of retrieval and provide guidance to select the appropriate equipment combination and size/capabilities. As the equipment is selected, the specific attributes will be incorporated to enhance the time/motion study to generate high resolution models to plan remote dry retrieval operations. The candidate would do extensive work developing simulations, plans, and visualizations associated with dry mining operations. Particularly with respect to developing and calibrating sufficiently fast models of heterogeneous mineral deposits, saltcake, sludges, and slurries. We currently anticipate the material of highest emphasis will be saltcake. The ideal candidate will provide input into the ability to excavate, hydraulically transport and mobilize equipment across salt cake, sludges, slurries and mineral deposits. In addition we anticipate the candidate will engage in verification and validation efforts associated with these models and robotic/mining/construction hardware. The candidate will interface with fellow researchers to develop robotic/automated procedures for mining. We anticipate there is also a need to characterize the mechanical/rheological properties of salt cake, mineral deposits, sludges and slurries of interest to this project. The candidate may also be involved in this effort. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic with becoming familiar with the robotic, sensing, characterization and nuclear engineering aspects of this project. The candidate would work regularly with scientists and engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to complete this work.
Exceptional candidates may be considered for a Director's Fellowship and outstanding candidates may be considered for the prestigious Darleane Christian Hoffman, Richard P. Feynman, J. Robert Oppenheimer, or Frederick Reines Fellowships.
For general information about the Postdoc Program, including salary guidelines, see: http://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/postdoc-program/index.php
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
A strong background in one or more of the following technical areas:
Education/Experience: This position requires a Ph.D. in civil/structural engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, nuclear engineering, or a related field. Eligibility is restricted to those within five years of having completed all requirements for their Ph.D. or who will be graduating no later than the summer term of 2024. Additionally, eligibility for this position requires that the candidate have a degree during the course of their education from an Minority Serving Institution (MSI) school ( https://msiexchange.nasa.gov/pdf/2023-2024%20MSI%20List.pdf).
Desired Qualifications:
Salary: Competitive salaries are based on the date the PhD degree requirements were completed or the degree was awarded. Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $94,500. For more information go to Postdoc Program website at https://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/index.php .
Note to Applicants:
Along with your resume, please include a detailed cover letter explaining how you meet each of the minimum requirements and any of the desired qualifications.
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
§ Dental and vision insurance
§ Free basic life and disability insurance
§ Paid childbirth and parental leave
§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs
§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request
We are interested in hiring an ambitious postdoctoral researcher to put on a trajectory to be a national and international leader and resource for robotics activities critical to ensuring safety and national security. The successful candidate will join a team of engineers and scientists working on developing models verified by time and motion studies to plan robotic/remote mining/excavation/dry retrieval of hazardous and radioactive waste. Commercially available technologies for dry retrieval will be evaluated and then down selected to focus on the functions that need to be adapted for the retrieval mission. The time/motion study will be used to provide information about the performance requirements of the technologies, assess the rate and duration of retrieval and provide guidance to select the appropriate equipment combination and size/capabilities. As the equipment is selected, the specific attributes will be incorporated to enhance the time/motion study to generate high resolution models to plan remote dry retrieval operations. The candidate would do extensive work developing simulations, plans, and visualizations associated with dry mining operations. Particularly with respect to developing and calibrating sufficiently fast models of heterogeneous mineral deposits, saltcake, sludges, and slurries. We currently anticipate the material of highest emphasis will be saltcake. The ideal candidate will provide input into the ability to excavate, hydraulically transport and mobilize equipment across salt cake, sludges, slurries and mineral deposits. In addition we anticipate the candidate will engage in verification and validation efforts associated with these models and robotic/mining/construction hardware. The candidate will interface with fellow researchers to develop robotic/automated procedures for mining. We anticipate there is also a need to characterize the mechanical/rheological properties of salt cake, mineral deposits, sludges and slurries of interest to this project. The candidate may also be involved in this effort. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic with becoming familiar with the robotic, sensing, characterization and nuclear engineering aspects of this project. The candidate would work regularly with scientists and engineers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to complete this work.
Exceptional candidates may be considered for a Director's Fellowship and outstanding candidates may be considered for the prestigious Darleane Christian Hoffman, Richard P. Feynman, J. Robert Oppenheimer, or Frederick Reines Fellowships.
For general information about the Postdoc Program, including salary guidelines, see: http://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/postdoc-program/index.php
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
A strong background in one or more of the following technical areas:
- Geotechnical Engineering (modeling/characterization/design)
- Discrete Element Modeling (DEM), FLIP modeling, fluid dynamics simulation, smoothed particle hydrodynamics, or similar modeling techniques for geotechnical or fluid materials.
- Dredging Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Terramechanics
- Rheology
- Construction Robotics
- Mining Robotics
- Geology
- Mobile robotics (e.g., controls, path planning, navigation, perception, )
- Operations research for mining/construction
- Experience in using digital signal processing and machine learning techniques
- Mechanical/electrical engineering design, fabrication and prototyping
- Experience modeling and simulating robotics
- Machine learning/artificial intelligence/computer vision/computer graphics
- Strong programming skills and experience with software development. Experience with at least one of the following programming languages Python, C/C++, Matlab.
- Outstanding written and oral communication skills as demonstrated by strong records of publications in either high impact technical journals or conference proceedings, and presentations at conferences
- Ability to work as part of a highly interdisciplinary team with minimal supervision but able to consistently document work and provide updates to team leaders locally and nationally.
- Strong ambition and desire to be a national and international leader and resource in the emerging field of mining/constructions robotics and automation.
Education/Experience: This position requires a Ph.D. in civil/structural engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, nuclear engineering, or a related field. Eligibility is restricted to those within five years of having completed all requirements for their Ph.D. or who will be graduating no later than the summer term of 2024. Additionally, eligibility for this position requires that the candidate have a degree during the course of their education from an Minority Serving Institution (MSI) school ( https://msiexchange.nasa.gov/pdf/2023-2024%20MSI%20List.pdf).
Desired Qualifications:
- Knowledge of computer graphics technology
- Ability to quickly learn new programming languages.
- Experience prototyping embedded systems and/or mobile robotics.
- Proficiency with software development for video game development and 3D computer graphics (e.g., Blender, Unity, Unreal)
- Proficiency in using programming software to automate data analysis.
- Proficiency in using data acquisition hardware and software.
- Proficiency with Python programming language is preferred.
- Proficiency in engineering design and modeling software such as SolidWorks, Abaqus, Ansys, etc.
- Proficiency with Robot Operating System (ROS).
- Mentoring and teaching experience
- Familiarity with sensors and instrumentation for mechanical measurements.
- Experience with techniques associated with construction management and construction machinery
- Experience with computational mechanics (e.g. finite element methods, discrete element methods).
- Familiarity with construction machinery operation engineering considerations.
- Ability to obtain a Q clearance.
Salary: Competitive salaries are based on the date the PhD degree requirements were completed or the degree was awarded. Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $94,500. For more information go to Postdoc Program website at https://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/index.php .
Note to Applicants:
Along with your resume, please include a detailed cover letter explaining how you meet each of the minimum requirements and any of the desired qualifications.
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
§ Dental and vision insurance
§ Free basic life and disability insurance
§ Paid childbirth and parental leave
§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs
§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request
