Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering
lab for national security and technology innovation. We are a world-class
team of scientists, engineers, technologists, postdocs, and visiting
researchers—all focused on cutting-edge technology, ranging from homeland
defense, global security, biotechnology, and environmental preservation to
energy and combustion research, computer security, and nuclear defense. To
learn more, visit http://ca.sandia.gov/casite/.
DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION
Sandia/California’s Combustion Chemistry Department is part of the
Combustion Research Facility at Sandia National Laboratories. Under the
principal sponsorship of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Basic
Energy Sciences, the department seeks to reveal the key chemical processes
that underlie the complex mechanisms of combustion. Department emphases
include determining the rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions,
characterizing molecular structure and energetics, and measuring and
modeling idealized combustion devices. Researchers in the department employ
laser-based pump/probe techniques to interrogate chemical reactivity and
structure, ion imaging to simultaneously measure the velocity and
internal-state distributions of reaction products, and experiments in the
femtosecond domain to directly probe energy conversion within a molecule. In
other work, molecular photolysis is coupled with absorption/fluorescence
detection methods to determine the thermal rate coefficients and product
distributions for reactions that constitute the individual steps in the
combustion chain process. Current computational efforts include ab initio
calculations of molecular structure and energetics and computer modeling of
the complete kinetics of combustion processes in both laminar and turbulent
environments. 
JOB DESCRIPTION
We have 1–4 postdoctoral research positions available in our department.
These postdocs will work with Drs. James Miller and/or Ahren Jasper to
conduct research in combustion chemistry theory and modeling. Depending on
interests and experience, the postdoctoral researchers will work in one of
three research areas: (1) combustion modeling; (2) the study of collisional
energy transfer in highly vibrationally excited molecules by using classical
trajectory and/or quantum-scattering methods; and (3) the theoretical
prediction of rate coefficients of elementary reactions from first
principles using electronic-structure, variational transition-state-theory,
and master-equation methods (this research will be applied to reactions
involved in the low-temperature oxidation of bioderived fuels and in the
formation of cyclic and polycyclic aromatic compounds in the flames of
aliphatic fuels).
QUALIFICATIONS
All positions require a recent PhD (conferred within the past five years) in
chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, mechanical engineering,
mathematics or a related discipline.
In addition, position 1 requires experience with CHEMKIN, outstanding
computer skills, and experience with Fortran programming. Highly desirable
qualifications for position 1 include (1) knowledge of chemical-kinetics
reduction mechanisms, (2) knowledge of approximation techniques, such as
intrinsic low-dimensional manifold (ILDM), computational singular
perturbation (CSP), and rate-controlled constrained-equilibrium (RCCE), and
(3) experience with quantum chemistry software. Positions 2 and 3 require
(1) familiarity with quantum chemistry software (Gaussian, Molpro, etc.),
(2) an interest in chemical kinetics and combustion chemistry, (3)
outstanding computer skills, and (4) some experience with Fortran
programming. An interest in high-performance computing is also desired for
position 2 since this project involves significant use of the DOE’s
large-scale supercomputers.
Apply at: http://sandia.gov/careers/search-openings.html. Click on Search
for Openings, and type the Job ID number 63610 into the Keywords box. Click
on the Search button to access this job opening, and complete an online
application.
ABOUT SANDIA
Located in Livermore, Sandia/California enjoys close proximity to San
Francisco, Silicon Valley, world-class educational institutions, and diverse
cultural and year-round recreational opportunities. Sandia provides
employees with a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical,
dental, vision, and a 401(k) savings plan. We value work-life balance and
offer flexible work schedules with alternate Fridays off, on-site fitness
facilities, three weeks of vacation, and much more.
Sandia National Laboratories is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. If
this position requires a security clearance granted by the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE), U.S. citizenship and employee eligibility for clearance
processing will be required at the time of hire. If you hold dual
citizenship and accept a job offer for a position that requires a
DOE-granted security clearance, you may be asked by the DOE to renounce your
foreign citizenship and retain only your U.S. citizenship.

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