Summary
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the largest US Department of Energy (DOE) science and energy laboratory, is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in condensed-matter physics, materials science, and multiscale/multifidelity simulations. The selected candidate will develop and integrate physics-informed AI/ML and agentic tools into autonomous experimental synthesis and characterization platforms to accelerate the inverse design and discovery of novel quantum and microelectronic materials.
Postdoctoral Research Associate – Theory-in-the-loop of Autonomous Experiments for Materials-by-Design
Job Overview Table
| Attribute | Details |
| Position Title | Postdoc – Theory-in-the-loop of Autonomous Experiments for Materials-by-Design |
| Designation | Postdoctoral Research Associate |
| Organization | Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) |
| Division / Directorate | Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) / Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) |
| Requisition ID | 15880 |
| Location | Oak Ridge, TN, USA (37830) |
| Appointment Type | Full-Time, Postdoctoral Fellowship (Up to 24 months with extension potential) |
| Application Deadline | Open until filled (Minimum posting period: 5 days) |
Designation
- Role: Postdoctoral Research Associate
- Section / Group: Nanomaterials Theory Institute (NTI), Theory and Computation Section (TACS)
- Advisors / Collaborators: Working closely with Soumendu Bagchi, P. Ganesh, and collaborative initiatives including the CNMS Quantum Materials themes and DOE Genesis projects.
Research Area
- Condensed Matter Physics & Materials Science
- Physics-Informed Machine Learning (AI/ML) & Surrogate Modeling
- Multiscale & Multifidelity Simulations (Ab initio, ML Tight-Binding, ML Force Fields, Phase-Field, Kinetic Monte Carlo)
- Autonomous Experiments & Agentic AI Workflow Automation
- Quantum & Microelectronic Materials by Design
Location
- City/State: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA (Postal Code: 37830)
- Nearest Major Market: Knoxville, TN
Eligibility & Qualifications
Basic Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics, Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or a closely related field.
- Degree must have been awarded within the last five (5) years prior to application. All degree requirements must be completed prior to starting.
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven record in developing physics-informed AI models for scientific discovery and inverse design.
- Hands-on experience applying AI/ML toward quantum and microelectronic materials discovery.
- Experience developing or implementing agentic AI tools to automate simulations and laboratory experiments.
- Demonstrated proficiency using High-Performance Computing (HPC) workflows and environments.
- Strong track record of research productivity demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
- Excellent communication, independent problem-solving, and cross-disciplinary collaboration skills.
Security & Credentialing Requirements
- Ability to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card / DOE badge (requires a Federal Tier 1 background investigation and Real ID-compliant identification).
- Non-U.S. Citizens who have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years must obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination until the 3-year threshold is met.
Job Description & Major Responsibilities
- High-Performance Workflows: Build and deploy HPC workflows executing multifidelity simulations to predict and interpret structural and electronic characterization data.
- AI/ML Surrogate Modeling: Develop physics-informed surrogate models for inverse materials design, bridging length and time scales across simulated and experimental multi-modal datasets.
- Agentic AI & Closed-Loop Control: Create and train agentic AI frameworks capable of real-time control over experimental synthesis and characterization tools for Labs-of-the-Future (LoTF) initiatives.
- Dissemination: Present findings at major conferences and publish research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.
- Compliance & Ethics: Uphold environmental, safety, health, quality, and core organizational values (Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service).
How to Apply
- Online Application: Apply directly via the ORNL Careers Portal Job Link.
- Account & Profile: Log in or create an account at
jobs.ornl.gov, go to View Profile, and upload your resume/CV under the My Documents section (Accepted formats:.pdf,.doc,.docx,.rtf,.htmlup to 5MB). - Letters of Recommendation: Submit three (3) letters of reference either by uploading them directly to your candidate profile or having your referees email them to
postdocrecruitment@ornl.govwith the Job Title and Requisition ID (15880) in the subject line.
Last Date to Apply
- Deadline: Open until filled / Rolling Review
- Note: The position remains open for a minimum of 5 days from the posting date and will close once a qualified candidate is identified and hired. Early application is strongly advised.
