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We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.
Job Description
The Chemistry & Nanoscience Center at NREL has an opening for a researcher to support R&D within the HyMARC consortium that is dedicated to developing clean, low-cost materials-based hydrogen storage systems that exceed the capabilities of physical storage (700 bar pressurized gas and liquid hydrogen) and meet U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) targets for stationery and transportation applications. The position primarily involves designing and executing experiments to evaluate materials for specific hydrogen capture and storage applications at scale, designing and executing experiments to evaluate prototype system designs, and contributing to prototype design and build. Understanding the complexities of moving materials from lab scale to prototype scale is critical, including challenges with safety, heat management, and engineering systems to meet specific kinetic requirements for sorption processes. The successful candidate will be able to develop creative solutions to the complex technical challenges and design experiments to robustly evaluate proposed approaches.
Job Duties
- Develop technical approaches for at scale hydrogen capture/storage systems.
- Devise robust experimental approaches for evaluating materials and engineering approaches to hydrogen capture/storage at scale.
- Design and execute Sieverts, thermal conductivity, and calorimetry experiments, including in-depth data analysis, for hydrogen storage projects.
- Experimental design to collect data on material properties under conditions representative of specific hydrogen storage applications.
- Equipment modification to collect data at conditions representative of specific hydrogen storage applications.
- Modification of data analysis software when needed.
- Assist with troubleshooting and repair of equipment.
- Coordinate and monitor the research activities of junior personnel.
- Mentor junior personnel.
- Contribute to building collaborations with other national labs, industry, and academia and to develop research proposals or secure other funding sources.
Basic Qualifications
Relevant Master's Degree. Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 2 or more years of experience. General knowledge and application of scientific technical standards, principles, theories, concepts and techniques. Training in team, task or project leadership responsibilities. Intermediate abilities and knowledge of practices and techniques. Beginning experience in project management. Good technical writing, interpersonal and communication skills.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Preferred Qualifications
Candidates should have at least two or more of the following:
- Experience with equipment automation regarding integration of hardware and software.
- Experience with thermal management for custom equipment.
- Proven skills in troubleshooting and repairing complex mechanical and electrical systems.
- Experience with designing instruments for use at cryogenic temperatures.
- Materials characterization skills such as BET, TEM, XRD, XRF, TPD, and adsorption measurements using a Sieverts apparatus.
- Experience with vacuum systems.
- Experience with high pressure systems (200 bar).
- Experience with gas adsorption instruments.
- Experience with mass spectroscopy systems.
- Machine shop and/or mechanical design experience.
- Experience with complex fluid dynamic modeling.
- Experience with cad designs.
Job Application Submission Window
The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.
