APS Career Center

The Materials Science and Technology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, http://www.ms.ornl.gov/index.shtml, has an opening for a Physicist with expertise in condensed matter or materials theory and interest in thermoelectric materials. The goals are to develop understanding of the origins of high thermoelectric performance and identify new or improved thermoelectric materials. This effort will support DOE interests in advanced thermoelectrics for waste heat recovery, solar thermal technologies and other energy applications. It is expected that the candidate will work closely with experimentalists and other theorists in the Division.

Job Description

The successful candidate will use modern theoretical methods, such as first principles calculations, transport theory, lattice dynamics and molecular dynamics, to investigate thermoelectric materials. The candidate will use results from calculations to understand and predict properties of materials and to suggest materials with improved properties. The candidate will communicate the results with ORNL and external experimentalists and will prepare technical reports describing the results for publication in scientific journals. The expectation is that the efforts of the candidate, in collaboration with other scientists at the laboratory, will position ORNL as a leader in thermoelectrics research.

A Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics or a closely related field is required.  Postdoctoral or other relevant experience is expected. Additionally, experience in first principles calculations as evidenced by publications in scientific journals is required. Experience and interest in electronic transport in metals and/or heavily doped semiconductors, heat transport in solids, lattice vibrations and/or molecular dynamics, and interactions that lead to scattering, such as electron-phonon, are strong pluses. Prior experience with thermoelectrics is desirable but not required. Excellent oral and written communication skills are required and presentations and publications in peer-reviewed, scientific journals are expected.

For further consideration and to review full job description, please visit http://jobs.ornl.gov/, view open positions, and select position category Science – Physical Sciences.