The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Materials Group in Argonne National Laboratory’s Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division is seeking to hire a Postdoctoral Appointee to participate in a project that operates within a large DOE consortium of nine U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories. The project is dedicated to the accelerated discovery of catalytic materials for low-temperature PEM water electrolyzers, utilizing high-throughput synthesis and characterization techniques.
As a Postdoctoral Appointee, you will play a pivotal role in this exciting endeavor. Your responsibilities will encompass:
Catalysts Synthesis: Utilize your expertise in materials synthesis to develop novel catalysts guided by machine learning algorithms
Catalyst Performance Evaluation: Utilize aqueous electrochemical combinatorial techniques to evaluate the performance of synthesized catalysts, identifying promising candidates for further development
Device-Level Performance Assessment: Integrate promising catalysts into low-temperature electrolyzers, utilizing single-cell testing platforms to evaluate their device-level performance
The position also entails extensive ex‐situ and operando characterization of low temperature electrolyzer materials and electrodes using synchrotron X-ray techniques at Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source (APS). In particular X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray scattering, and nano-computed tomography (nano-CT) will be employed to understand the nature of the active OER catalytic sites and the reaction mechanism
Position Requirements
This level of knowledge is typically achieved through formal education in Chemistry, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering at the Ph.D. degree level with 0-5 years of experience or equivalent in practical laboratory experience in the areas described in the job description
Extensive knowledge of physical electrochemistry and oxygen evolution electrocatalysis
Extensive knowledge of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer electrocatalyst and electrode characterization
Extensive knowledge of solid-state materials synthesis and use of structure construction software such as Materials Studio, Crystalmaker, Mercury, VESTA, etc.
Knowledge of inorganic and nanomaterial synthesis and crystal structure analysis using XRD Rietveld analysis
Knowledge of aqueous electrochemical techniques
Experience in X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray scattering (SAXS & WAXS), and X-ray nano-CT characterization of materials is beneficial
Experience in impedance spectroscopy is beneficial
Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to work as part of a collaborative multi-institutional team are required
Ability to model Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork
Job Family
Postdoctoral Family
Job Profile
Postdoctoral Appointee
Worker Type
Long-Term (Fixed Term)
Time Type
Full time
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