In this exciting role, you will simulate mathematically fuel cell systems and other related electrochemical devices and their components under both steady state and transient operation in The Energy Conversion Group at Energy Technologies and Systems Division of the Energy Technologies Area. Your work will entail model development, validation, and execution including collaboration with research partners, to verify and explain predicted trends seen in experimental data. The model should identify critical barriers and provide strategies to enable performance optimization and durability mitigation. In addition to cell level modeling, particular emphasis will be on understanding multi-ion transport and durability stressors including structure/function relationships across multiple time and length scales. Additionally, incorporating AI/ML into the multiphysics models via surrogate models or other data-driven methods will be a focus in this position.
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You will:
Develop and refine mathematical models to examine multidimensional, multiphysics, transport within an electrochemical cell including its various constitutive layers (e.g., porous transport layers, gas-diffusion and microporous layers, membrane, and catalyst layers).
Analyze the results to examine limiting factors in performance as well as identify areas of deficiency in the model and propose new mathematical constructs to deal with them.
Pursue microstructural simulations of transient phenomena within single components.
Use AI/ML approaches (e.g., physics-informed neural networks) for surrogate model development
Validate model activities and comparison of simulation to experimental data for both input parameters and output results.
Publish original research in peer-reviewed journals; contribute to scientific publications; present research through talks and posters at conferences, workshops, and multi-investigator meetings.
Adhere with the Berkeley Lab and ETA safety requirements.
Work on meeting milestones and reporting them to DOE and industrial sponsors
Collaborate and work with a team of researchers from diverse backgrounds, and interface with research teams from across industry, academia, and national laboratories
Additional Responsibilities as needed:
Work on experimental characterization of cell performance and measurement of component properties.
Interact with the LBNL fuel cell and electrochemistry community (with extensive experience in batteries, modeling of batteries and fuel cells, electrode material synthesis, spectroscopy, detailed diagnostics, and cell design) to aid in electrochemistry research.
Participate in professional society activities.
We are looking for:
PhD in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, applied physics, or closely related field.
Experience with mathematical modeling (i.e., continuum modeling) including in the application of transport phenomena in fuel cells or related devices and at various scales.
Familiarity with high performance computing and code development and use including the use of AI/ML and surrogate model development for multiscale analysis
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written as well as technical writing.
Ability to learn rapidly and integrate new fields to demonstrate creative problem-solving skills
Ability and willingness to work in a team environment and collaborate with researchers from various backgrounds
Ability to work as an independent researcher with a high level of scientific judgment and initiative.
Knowledge of electrochemistry and related diagnostic methods and materials for fuel cells (both low and intermediate temperatures).
Knowledge of constitutive relations and continuum theories.
Desired skills/knowledge:
Demonstrated ability to take initiative for tackling cross-disciplinary research problems from initiation to meaningful conclusion.
Experience with electrochemistry, hydrogen fuel cells, and transport phenomena.
Demonstrated strong experience with finite-element methods and Comsol.
Familiarity with machine learning and associated big data techniques.
For consideration, please apply with the following application materials:
Cover Letter - Describe your interest in this position and the relevance of your background.
Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume.
Additional information:
Appointment type: This is a full-time 2 years, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
Salary range: The monthly salary range for this position is $6,891 / mo - $7,609.00 / mo and is expected to start at $6,891 / mo or above. Postdoctoral positions are paid on a step schedule per union contract and salaries will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral and/or related research experience.
Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
Work modality: This position will be primarily performed on-site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA.
Union Represented: This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.
Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
In the world of science, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is synonymous with excellence. Thirteen scientists associated with Berkeley Lab have won the Nobel Prize. Fifty-seven Lab scientists are members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest honors for a scientist in the United States. Thirteen of our scientists have won the National Medal of Science, our nation's highest award for lifetime achievement in fields of scientific research. Eighteen of our engineers have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and three of our scientists have been elected into the Institute of Medicine. In addition, Berkeley Lab has trained thousands of university science and engineering students who are advancing technological innovations across the nation and around the world. Berkeley Lab is a member of the national laboratory system supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Office of Science. It is managed by the University of California (UC) and is charged with conducting unclassified research across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Located on a 200-acre site in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus that offers spectacular... views of the San Francisco Bay, Berkeley Lab employs approximately 4,200 scientists, engineers, support staff and students. Its budget for 2011 is $735 million, with an additional $101 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, for a total of $836 million. A recent study estimates the Laboratory's overall economic impact through direct, indirect and induced spending on the nine counties that make up the San Francisco Bay Area to be nearly $700 million annually. The Lab was also responsible for creating 5,600 jobs locally and 12,000 nationally. The overall economic impact on the national economy is estimated at $1.6 billion a year. Technologies developed at Berkeley Lab have generated billions of dollars in revenues, and thousands of jobs. Savings as a result of Berkeley Lab developments in lighting and windows, and other energy-efficient technologies, have also been in the billions of dollars. Berkeley Lab was founded in 1931 by Ernest Orlando Lawrence, a UC Berkeley physicist who won the 1939 Nobel Prize in physics for his invention of the cyclotron, a circular particle accelerator that opened the door to high-energy physics. It was Lawrence's belief that scientific research is best done through teams of individuals with different fields of expertise, working together. His teamwork concept is a Berkeley Lab legacy that continues today.
