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Postdoctoral Research Associate - Building Envelope Materials Research

Overview: 
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest US 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 a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Building Envelope Materials Research (BEMR) Group in the Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC) in the Building and Transportation Science Division (BTSD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).  
 
BEMR research supports the U.S. DOE Building Technology Office and other customers by developing state-of-the-art and cost-effective building envelope technologies that make new and existing buildings energy efficient, durable, comfortable, grid-interactive, sustainable, and have lower embodied energy.
 
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. The researcher will assist with the setup and operation of this new facility and will perform research in the ACL.
 
Major Duties/Responsibilities: 
The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and conducting research in advanced construction.
 
For example:
  • Contribute to the development and integration of advanced manufacturing practices into offsite and onsite construction
  • Develop experimental setups, conduct experiments, and analyze results
  • Conduct experiments involving non-destructive diagnostics and sensing of the building envelope
  • Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams that are composed of researchers from various areas of expertise at ORNL (e.g, material science, organic and inorganic chemistry, automation, and sensors and controls among others)
  • Publish research results in conference and peer-reviewed journal papers
  • Assist with proposals
  • Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, health, and quality requirements
  • Maintain a strong commitment to the implementation and perpetuation of values and ethics
 
Basic Qualifications:
  • PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Construction Engineering, Architecture, or related discipline completed within the last 5 years
  • Knowledge of different residential and commercial construction practices, and potential incorporation of advanced construction techniques
  • Experience setting and conducting laboratory experiments
 
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Proficiency with MATLAB, LabVIEW, SolidWorks, and Fusion 360
  • Experience with optical imaging systems and image analysis
  • Experience with machine learning and deep neural networks
  • Experience with reducing the embodied energy in building construction
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory 
  • Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs
  • Desire and ability to learn about and conduct research in new fields related to building science
 
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.
 
Moving can be overwhelming and expensive. UT-Battelle offers a generous relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions. If invited to interview, be sure to ask your Recruiter (Talent Acquisition Partner) for details.

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.