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Post-Bach Student (Separations Science)

What You Will Do

Come join the best and brightest minds in the world at one of the most innovative and creative multidisciplinary research institutions engaged in strategic science on behalf of U.S national security. The work we do at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) matters to our country and the world.

Post-bachelor's Degree Student Position in Separations Science: the Advanced Separations Technologies Program within the Materials Synthesis and Integrated Devices Group (MPA-11) is seeking outstanding post-bachelor degree candidates to join a multi-disciplinary team with on-going research efforts in fundamental and applied separations science and engineering. Working as part of a growing, fast-paced team, the successful candidate will be responsible for performing various laboratory experiments related to chemical separations. Experiments range from measuring physical properties, determining thermodynamic parameters, or running bench-scale process equipment to demonstrate chemical separations. Active areas of research include CO2 capture, critical materials separations (including rare earth elements), heavy metal waste treatment, radioisotope purification, and actinide separations. We also utilize a broad variety of separations techniques including solvent extraction, ion exchange, chromatography, absorption, precipitation/crystallization, and electrochemical separations (e.g., electrophoresis or electrorefining).

The successful candidate will be required to:
  • Interact with a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers
  • Work safely in a chemical laboratory while maintaining good housekeeping
  • Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot basic laboratory equipment
  • Contribute to program deliverables including presentations, reports, and data analysis

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

  • Ability to perform work in a research and development environment including planning and conducting hands-on laboratory experiments at the direction of or in consultation with senior staff, analyzing results, and writing reports.
  • Expert command of spoken and written English
  • Good communication skills
  • Ability to work effectively as a part of a team in multi-disciplinary environment
  • Strong motivation and ability to work independently
  • Ability to plan and organize assignments and meet project deadlines
  • Fluent in common software packages such as Microsoft Office
  • Ability to obtain a DOE Q Clearance*



*Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter. 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.

Desired Qualifications:
  • Experience working in a chemical laboratory in a research and development environment.
  • Experience in the safe and proper handling of hazardous chemicals.
  • Familiarity with one or more of the following separations techniques: solvent extraction, ion exchange, chromatography, absorption, precipitation/crystallization, and electrochemical separations (e.g., electrophoresis or electrorefining).
  • Ability to program in Labview.
  • Experience in measuring physical properties such as density and viscosity of liquids.
  • Experience with the synthesis and handling of ionic liquids.
  • Familiarity with common analytical chemistry techniques such as ICP-OES, vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR and/or Raman), UV-vis-NIR or fluorescence spectroscopy.
  • Familiarity with electrochemical techniques such as voltammetry, amperometry, impedance spectroscopy, electrorefining.
  • Experience in process modeling and simulation with AspenPlus or other process simulation software.

Education/Experience: A B.S. from an accredited Bachelor's Degree program in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Nuclear Engineering, or related technical field completed within past 3 years or soon to be completed, with cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent).

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.

Salary: Competitive salaries are based on the date the Bachelor's degree requirements were completed or the degree was awarded. Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $66,754. For more information go to Student Program website at https://collaboration.lanl.gov/student-programs/salary.

Note to Applicants:

Applications may be submitted at http://careers.lanl.gov/ Please include a cover letter addressing how you meet the required and desired skills when applying for the position. A current C.V. with the minimum following information/sections (if applicable) is also required: Educational background, degree dates, GPA with scale, name of advisor(s); Work experience; Competitive honors; Relevant extracurricular activities; Invited presentations; Grants; Patents; Peer-Reviewed Publications; Non-peer-reviewed Publications; Talks and Poster Presentations; References. Only complete applications with a cover letter and C.V. will be considered.

For additional technical inquiries, contact George Goff at georgeg@lanl.gov.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.

The Materials Synthesis and Integrated Devices group (MPA-11) conducts basic and applied research in areas related to applied energy programs and a variety of problems relevant to the weapons program. Our goal is to provide innovative and creative solutions needed to solve technical problems across the Laboratory's missions, including energy security, stockpile stewardship and global threat reduction.

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 such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-664-6947 option 2 and then option 3.
Instructions on How to Activate/Create a LANL Jobs Account:

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• Select the Click Here button if you have been employed with the Lab or received insurance coverage.

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Important: Enter the validation code within 15 days to activate your account or your account will be deactivated

Follow the instructions below if you if you have never been employed with the Lab or received insurance coverage to create an account:

• Select the Register button if you have never been employed with the Lab or received

insurance coverage to Create an Account.

• From here, you will establish an account with username and password

How to Apply: How to Apply: Login to Your Account to Complete the Application Process

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