Requisition Id 7842 

Overview: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest U.S. Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.

We are seeking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Building Envelope Materials Research (BEMR) Group in Buildings and Transportation Science Division (BTSD), Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD) in the Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

BEMR research supports the U.S. DOE Building Technologies Office and other customers by developing state-of-the-art and cost-effective building envelope technologies that make new and existing buildings energy efficient, low carbon, durable, comfortable, and grid-interactive.

BEMR is expanding its facilities with a new Advanced Construction Laboratory (ACL) that will focus on identifying, designing, developing, and de-risking technologies that improve the integration of energy efficient technologies into buildings and enhance productivity in construction and renovations. These efforts will include exploring digital manufacturing, full or partial automation, nondestructive diagnostic tools, and new construction materials among others. These tasks will be performed in collaboration with academia, national laboratories, and private industries.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Develop experimental setups, conduct experiments, and analyze results
• Conduct experiments involving non-destructive diagnostics and sensing of the building envelope
• Contribute to the development and integration of advanced manufacturing practices into offsite and onsite construction
• Perform simulations and laboratory and field experiments on heat and mass transfer through building envelope materials, assemblies, and systems
• Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams composed of researchers from various areas of expertise at ORNL (e.g., building science, material science, automation, and sensors and controls)
• Publish research results in conference and peer-reviewed journal papers
• Present research results to ORNL staff, DOE, industry, and academia in the form of invited talks, conference papers, and peer-reviewed journal papers with high impact factors
• Assist in the development and preparation of proposals
• Interact and collaborate with researchers from universities, national laboratories, and private industry
• Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, health, and quality requirements

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Construction Engineering, or related discipline completed within the last 5 years

Preferred Qualifications:

• Solid academic and research record in the development and use of non-destructive diagnostic tools
• Knowledge of heat transfer, thermodynamics, and mass transfer
• Knowledge of different residential and commercial construction practices, and potential incorporation of advanced construction techniques
• Experience setting and conducting laboratory experiments
• Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships through active participation in professional societies
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever-changing needs
• Strong, proven publication record
• Proficiency with MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, and COMSOL
• Experience with optical imaging systems and image analysis
• Experience with non-destructive testing methods
• Experience with machine learning and deep neural networks
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills to support team building
• Ability to work individually and as part of a diverse team

Please submit three reference letters when applying to this position. You can upload these with your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment.

The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at jobs.ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.