Cleared Senior/Principal RD Chemist - Battery Abuse Testing Operations, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

We are seeking an experienced research staff for the Power Sources Technology Group (PSTG) to lead operational activities at several facilities, which provide key capabilities for the PSTG. Notably this will include being the operational lead for Battery Abuse Testing as part of the Battery Abuse Test Laboratory (BATLab) team. This job will work with the members of the workforce within our Group to execute on programs across a wide variety of Sandia mission areas. You will participate in the PSTG efforts to identify and carry out tactical efforts to improve group and capability operations. You will work with the team to ensure that customer needs are satisfied by coordinating specific deliverables, research objectives, project plans, budgets, structures, schedules, and testing priorities. You will help to direct work that is rooted in the fundamentals of science and engineering and requires a deep understanding of engineering and scientific principles. This position will contribute to the execution of Sandias scientific programs from fundamental research through development and qualification of electrochemical energy storage technologies.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Lead operational activities at the Battery Abuse Laboratory (BATLab) and its ancillary sites including the planning and execution of abusive battery tests, and directing the work of diverse team of technologists, post-docs, and students
• Engage engineers, technologists, students, and collaborators associated with our programs to deliver on multi discipline programs and guide those teams towards successful execution
• Serve as a representative for Power Sources to represent our work to customers and stakeholders
• Oversee and apply engineering methods used within scientific and engineering disciplines to develop or demonstrate new designs, machines, products, processes, and fundamental research
• Provide leadership for ensuring hardware, experiments, and safety expectations are met for several capabilities within the technology group
• Advocate for our team, their expertise, and capabilities as we conduct business development activities to grow the group portfolio
• Cultivate and build strategic partnerships with a wide and technically diverse customer base across the laboratory and sister National Labs in establishing technical work to be executed within the department
• Lead the team in updating and configuration of Procedures and Work Planning & Control documentation
• Be accountable as a WP&C Work Planner to ensure work acceptance, cost estimations, procurements, planning of large projects, engineering support, customer interface, work schedules to customers Security, Safety, Quality requirements

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

$117,500 - $235,700

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline and five (5) years of directly relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of directly relevant education and engineering or scientific experience that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform independent research and development
• An active DOE Q clearance, or equivalent is required to start

The ideal R&D S&E Chemistry candidate for Sandia National Laboratories will in addition possess the following:

• Graduate degree in a highly related field where an independent research project was a graduation requirement (e.g., independent project, thesis, or dissertation)
• Familiarity with operation of standard laboratory equipment, and standard laboratory processes
• Ability to prioritize and teach others basic chemistry tasks, including the operation of standard laboratory equipment, and standard laboratory processes
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral, and preferably prior experience in writing both published peer-reviewed articles and grant proposals
• Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to contribute and work in a multidisciplinary team environment

Also, for this posting we are seeking individuals with the following experience:

• Research and Development experience in electrochemical energy storage or a closely related field
• Prior experience in a technical project leadership role and leading technical teams
• Demonstrated experience with battery abuse testing or similar high hazard operations
• Demonstrated ability to team with others to produce successful outcomes
• Experience in leading activities within the SNL WPC process
• Expertise in the execution of fundamental research programs
• Ability to successfully manage and complete multiple programs and projects
• A commitment to a culture of safety and security

The Power Sources Research and Development Department develops primary and rechargeable lithium batteries, hybrid power sources, and double layer capacitors for our customers in the DOE, the military, industry, and other Sandia organizations. The Department endeavors to build on a leadership position in developing lithium batteries for energy and defense applications. In collaboration with others, we develop new power source concepts and materials leading to component development for specific applications. Our battery safety research and abuse testing laboratories are state-of-the-art and help us understand battery failures and lead our engineering efforts to produce abuse tolerant systems for nuclear weapons and other defense and consumer applications that include electric and hybrid-electric vehicles and utility grid energy storage.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q security clearance to start, or equivalent active security clearance with another U.S. government agency (e.g., DOD). Sandia is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.