Would you like to work for a National Laboratory that conducts world-renowned research? Would you enjoy working on a beautiful university campus? Can you imagine yourself in a mid-sized location that regularly ranks as one of the U.S. Best Places to Live? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider a career with Ames National Laboratory!
Ames Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy federally contracted National Laboratory located in Ames, Iowa, on the campus of Iowa State University. We are dedicated to translating foundational science through applied research to create technological innovations. We create materials, inspire minds to solve problems, and address some of the most challenging issues facing our world today. We promote and believe in a culture of civility and shared ownership in support of the Laboratory's collective success.
The Division of Critical Materials (DCM) at Ames National Laboratory seeks a Scientist I to conduct basic and applied research in battery materials development and recycling as well as in the development, characterization, and application of halide chemistry for materials processing and refinement. Ames National Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory operated by Iowa State University under contract. DCM is the Ames National Laboratory division that oversees the DOE Critical Materials Innovation Hub (CMI).
The successful candidate will design and advance novel battery-recycling technologies, including Ames National Laboratory’s BRAWS (Battery Recycling and Water Splitting) platform. The role will also pursue mechanisms, structure–property relationships, transport, and interphase chemistry associated with the discovery, development, and application of halide chemistries, and will leverage these chemistries in the processing and refinement of critical materials. The position includes hypothesis-driven research with clear line-of-sight to prototype-relevant validation. Candidates should be prepared to broaden their expertise across multiple material classes, with particular focus on DOE-designated critical materials.
The role requires operation and upkeep of key laboratory systems including vacuum and inert-atmosphere furnaces, gloveboxes, fume hoods, and molten-salt electrolysis cells. It includes the use of standard characterization tools (ICP-OES/MS, DSC/TGA-GC-MS, XRD, SEM/EDS, etc.), executed with rigorous EHS and data-integrity practices.
The Scientist I will collaborate with the supervisor, DCM researchers, Ames National Laboratory investigators, and partners across the CMI Hub to perform cutting-edge research. Responsibilities include conceiving, planning, executing, and supervising experiments; analyzing and interpreting results; and presenting and defending findings in internal reviews and at professional meetings. The incumbent will author manuscripts; mentor students; support postdoctoral researchers; and lead or contribute to competitive research proposals (as PI or co-PI) to sustain and grow the program. The position will also interface with administrative staff and cultivate a broader network of industrial, national-laboratory, and academic partners, in alignment with Ames National Laboratory’s strategic goals.
To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:
1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter
3) List of Professional References
If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.
Why Choose ISU?
Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program
• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.