Postdoctoral Research Associate - Biopolymer-Derived Ionic Materials and Interfaces

Requisition Id 17322 ­­Overview We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to advance synthesis and fundamental understanding of biopolymer-derived ionic materials and interfaces. The position resides in the Macromolecular Nanomaterials at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) Division, Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and will be directly associated with the Harnessing Complex Macromolecular Conformations (HCMC) theme science research at the CNMS. The successful candidate will develop renewable materials from bioderived macromolecules, and hierarchical biological building blocks. The research will establish relationships among molecular structure, interfacial interactions, processing, morphology, dynamics, transport, and macroscopic material performance. Neutron scattering and imaging techniques will be central to investigating material structure and dynamics across bulk phases, buried interfaces, and transport pathways. The candidate will work in a multidisciplinary environment spanning organic chemistry, polymer and materials chemistry, soft-matter science, interfacial characterization, isotope labeling, and neutron science. The research may address mechanisms relevant to separations, catalysis, sustainable composites, coatings, membranes, hydrogels, and other energy- and environment-related applications. As part of our research team, the candidate will be working with a highly interdisciplinary team of scientists at the CNMS, and across other divisions at ORNL, including researchers at ORNL’s world-leading neutron facilities. The successful candidate will have access to CNMS’s advanced capabilities in materials synthesis, processing, and characterization, as well as opportunities to collaborate with experts in computation, theory, and modeling. This position offers a distinctive research environment for integrating controlled materials synthesis with advanced characterization to investigate structure, dynamics, interfacial phenomena, and transport across multiple length and time scales. Major Duties/Responsibilities Design, synthesize, modify, and process biopolymer-derived ionic materials, including hydrogels, membranes, films, coatings, composites, porous materials, and functional interfaces. Investigate the effects of molecular interactions, surface chemistry, processing history, and hierarchical structure on material formation and performance. Develop experimental approaches to connect bulk and interfacial structure with solvent, water, ion, gas, or macromolecular transport. Apply neutron techniques such as small-angle neutron scattering, neutron reflectometry, quasi-elastic neutron scattering, neutron spectroscopy, and neutron imaging, as appropriate to the scientific questions. Use selective deuteration, contrast variation, and model material systems to resolve individual components and interfaces in multicomponent materials. Integrate neutron measurements with complementary characterization methods, potentially including X-ray scattering, spectroscopy, microscopy, thermal analysis, rheology, mechanical testing, surface analysis, and transport measurements. Develop quantitative structure–property–processing relationships and mechanistic models for biopolymer-derived materials. Collaborate with scientists at the CNMS, the Spallation Neutron Source, the High Flux Isotope Reactor, other ORNL research programs, universities, and industry. Contribute to the development of user proposals and beamtime proposals and support neutron experiments from sample preparation through data analysis and interpretation. Publish research results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at scientific conferences, workshops, and project meetings. Maintain detailed experimental records and follow ORNL requirements for environmental protection, safety, health, and quality assurance. Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactio…

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