Molten Salt Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Berkeley Lab's Energy Geosciences division is hiring an Autonomous Material Processing Postdoctoral Fellow to help transform how critical materials are produced.

In this role, you'll bring together machine learning, real-time monitoring, and thermochemical insight to build smarter, self-improving materials processing systems. Your work will help strengthen a sustainable domestic lithium supply while significantly cutting waste, water use, and carbon emissions.

You'll work side by side with talented scientists and engineers from national laboratories, universities, and industry, all collaborating to rethink how critical materials are produced - making the process cleaner, smarter, and more efficient.

This is an opportunity to help reshape how critical materials are produced - moving toward smarter, data-driven processes that are autonomous, scientifically grounded, and continuously improving. If you're ambitious, creative, and excited about building the foundation for AI-powered materials processing, this is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact in a field that's rapidly evolving.

Why join Berkeley Lab?

We invest in our employees by offering a total rewards package you can count on:

• Exceptional health and retirement benefits, including pension or 401K-style plans

• A culture where you'll belong - we are invested in our teams! 

• In addition to accruing vacation and sick time, we also have a Winter Holiday Shutdown every year.

• Parental bonding leave (for both mothers and fathers)

You will:

• Develop and lead hypothesis-driven research focused on autonomous thermochemical processing of complex mineral and melt systems, with guidance from senior researchers.

• Design and execute fundamental experiments to understand energy landscapes, phase behavior, interfacial processes, and reaction pathways in multi-component systems.

• Design, fabricate, commission, and operate advanced laboratory systems including high-temperature reactors, calorimetry platforms, flow systems, molten salt setups, and electrochemical cells.

• Conduct and interpret calorimetric measurements (e.g., DSC, drop solution, acid solution, isothermal titration) to quantify thermodynamic and kinetic parameters.

• Troubleshoot and repair instrumentation and custom-built experimental systems.

• Ensure rigorous experimental reproducibility, safety compliance, and high data integrity standards.

• Publish high-impact, peer-reviewed research and present findings at leading international conferences.

• Contribute to proposal development and future research directions aligned with PRISM objectives.

We are looking for:

• Ph.D. in Mineral Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related field

• Demonstrated record of first-author publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, evidencing scientific leadership and originality.

• Proven ability to independently develop hypothesis-driven, fundamental research programs, from conceptual framing through experimental execution and publication.

• Demonstrated understanding of kinetics, transport phenomena, and interfacial processes in complex materials systems.

• Advanced data analysis and scientific model development using Python or other scientific programming languages, including experience with automation, instrumentation control, or feedback systems.

• Demonstrated ability to design, fabricate, operate, troubleshoot, and repair laboratory equipment, including custom-built or high-temperature/high-pressure systems.

Desired skills/knowledge:

• Experience with thermodynamic modeling, phase equilibria, or melt/mineral systems, including CALPHAD, OpenCalphad, or similar tools.

• Hands-on expertise in experimental calorimetry, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), drop-solution calorimetry, acid-solution calorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), or related thermochemical methods.

• Experience with high-temperature or molten salt systems, electrochemical systems, or reactive gas/pressure systems.

• Experience integrating spectroscopic or analytical instrumentation (e.g., LIBS, XRF, ICP-OES/MS, XRD) into quantitative workflows.

• Experience with CAD design, rapid prototyping, or laboratory-scale reactor design.

• Comfort working with flow systems, pumps, hydrocyclones, pressure vessels, electrochemical cells, or thermal systems.

• Demonstrated ability to integrate hardware, software, and analytics into coherent experimental platforms.

Additional information:

• Application date: Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by April 1, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the job posting is removed.

• Appointment type: This is a full-time, 2 year, 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 $6,573 - $8,921 and is expected to start at $6,573 or above. Postdoc 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: Work will be primarily performed at: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. A REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification is required to access Berkeley Lab sites (for more information click here).

• 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.