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.
What Your Job Will Be Like
Do you want to join a dynamic team that helps tackle some the most complicated issues facing our nation’s security?
We seek a dedicated and creative Postdoctoral Appointee in the areas of geohydrology or geoscience to support scientific investigations of the hydrologic environment and conditions surrounding the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the world’s only licensed and operating deep geologic repository for the disposal of transuranic waste. The selected candidate will use their expertise, experience, and education with groundwater monitoring and aquifer testing to support work of the modeling team, including ground water flow and transport modeling and particle track modeling.
On any given day, you may be called on to:
Assist the field-team lead in the planning of work activities with respect to their necessity in a modeling capacity;
Support the application of field-team data and results to regulatory models, and assist with the preparation and execution of technical reports, deliverables, and documents for the Sponsor and the Regulator;
Report on the progress of modeling work.
Applicant must reside in or have the ability to reside in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Qualifications We Require
PhD in Geohydrology, Geophysics, Hydrology or closely related field (i.e. Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Environmental Engineering or Materials Science);
Experience and/or education developing numerical software in Python, FORTRAN, C/C++ and working within a HPC Linux environment;
Ability to conduct and communicate creative, independent research as proven through a record of high technical accomplishment (e.g. publication in high-impact scientific journals, presentations at national/international conferences).
Qualifications We Desire
Experience and/or education in site characterization and application of hydrological parameters in complex hydrologic models;
Education and/or experience with modern methods of aquifer characterization, testing, and analyses;
Previous internship experience;
Experience and/or education in flow and transport modeling;
Proven excellence in the technical field, oral and written communication skills, and interpersonal skills including respectful collaboration and communication.
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.
About Our Team
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the world’s only licensed and operating deep geologic repository for the disposal of transuranic waste. WIPP is operated by Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC, under contract to the Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO). Sandia provides scientific advice to CBFO in many areas, including modifications to the repository’s operating permits, periodic recertification of the repository, ongoing monitoring of repository performance against regulatory requirements, and optimization of the national transuranic waste complex. The Repository Performance Department, part of Sandia’s Defense Waste Management Programs Group, provides the experimental and fieldwork capability needed to assist CBFO in assuring continued and uninterrupted certification and permitting of WIPP.
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.
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.
