Job Description

About Sandia:

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 vacations, 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.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

Sandia/California’s Biomaterials and Biomanufacturing Department is seeking a creative, dedicated, and hardworking Postdoctoral Scientist (job title: JBEI PostDoctoral Bio/Chem) with expertise in molecular biology and bioengineering to work on engineering non-model fungi to produce biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. This work will be part of the multi-disciplinary effort at the Joint Bioenergy Institute, with opportunities to work with a wide range of experts in national labs and industry to conduct state-of-the-art R&D in lignocellulosic biofuels.

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

• Develop and implement approaches to iteratively engineer fungi to produce biofuels and bioproducts;
• Develop and execute proteomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches to understand the microbial engineering efforts;
• Participate in laboratory management and mentoring student interns;
• Present at project meetings and conferences;
• Write up work for publication in high-impact peer-reviewed scientific journals.

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

Qualifications We Require:

• PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering or a closely related, relevant field;
• Ability to conduct and communicate creative, independent research as proven through a record of high technical accomplishments (e.g., publication in high-impact scientific journals and/or presentations at national/international conferences).

Qualifications We Desire:

• Experience with genetic engineering of non-model organisms, yeasts, or bacteria, including building expression and deletion constructs, transformation, DNA and RNA purification, and utilizing genome data for designs
• Experience with analytical characterization of cellular metabolites (eg. GC-MS, LC-MS, HPLC)
• Desire to perform research in a collaborative manner including with teams outside of your area of expertise, eg. JBEI Pretreatment Optimization and Process Integration and the JBEI Feedstocks teams.
• Ability to maintain an accurate and detailed laboratory notebook (e-notebooks will be used) of all work performed and to submit this information into an electronic database.
• Willingness and ability to contribute to a safe, respectful and considerate working environment with a diverse workforce.
• Motivation to publish research results in high-impact peer-reviewed scientific journals.

About Our Team:

The Biomaterials and Biomanufacturing Department is dedicated to developing and advancing innovative technologies for producing the next generation of biofuels and biomaterials. Our multidisciplinary staff represents a diverse range of backgrounds and skill sets: molecular biology, chemistry, chemical and biochemical engineering, biophysics, computational science, and biochemistry. We partner broadly with other Sandia departments as well as other national laboratories, industry, and universities to develop practical, science-based solutions to national energy goals. We also play an essential role in the DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), one of three Bioenergy Research Centers in the Nation advancing the next generation of biofuel technologies. We are also a part of the DOE Agile Biofoundry, a consortium of national laboratories dedicated to accelerating biomanufacturing and decarbonizing the economy.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. 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.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

EEO:

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.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

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.

Position Information:

This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia\'s discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.

Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.

Job ID: 693882

Job Family: 92

Regular/Temporary Position: T

Full/Part-Time Status: F

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.