Posting Title

Research Technologist - Focused Ion Beam and Scanning Electron Microscopy

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Regular

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NREL

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

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Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.

Job Description

The Analytical Microscopy and Imaging Sciences group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is seeking a new research specialist to oversee the operations of two scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and two brand new focused ion beam / SEMs. The role will encompass equivalent responsibilities for collaborative clean energy materials science research and effective operations support of the SEM and dual beam microscopes. Clean energy systems of interest include photovoltaics (Si, CdTe, and metal halide perovskites), energy storage (thermal and electrochemical), polymer membranes (catalysis, separation, and electrolysis), biocomposites (molecular to biosafety level 1 materials), thin films for power electronics (oxides, nitrides, and doped films), and various clean building materials (electrochromic glass and cements). The facilities include a Hitachi 4800 SEM and Thermo Fisher Nova 630 SEM with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The two dual beam systems are the Thermo Fisher Helios 5 laser plasma FIB and a TESCAN Solaris Ga-ion FIB. The additional capabilities on the Helios 5 PFIB include inert transfer, cryo stage and cryo lift-out, multi-ion sources (Xe, Ar, O, N), multi-chemistry gas injection system (C, W, Pt/C), high efficiency EDS and EBSD detection, slice-n-view for 3D reconstructions, and a femtosecond laser for milling 10 – 4,000 um cross-sections in diameter and depth. The additional capabilities on the TESCAN Nova 630 include cryo with inert transfer, cryo stage and cryo lift out, EDS mapping, routine scripting, and a rocking polishing stage. The SEM and dual beam tools currently have over 100 users on the Hitachi 4800 SEM with the other three tools rapidly gaining user access for researchers across NREL.

The candidate must have experience in training researchers new to electron microscopy and dual beam systems for cross-sectional imaging/mapping and lift-out procedures for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample preparation on both Ga-ion and plasma FIBs. The successful candidate will ideally have over 2 years of experience in SEM and FIB/SEM stewardship to support a variety of materials (polymers, semiconductor devices, thin-films, and heterogeneous composite materials). Experience with cryogenic methods, in situ (MEMS chip) preparation, and preparation of very thin samples for analytic