Manager - Organic Materials Science Department

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Salary Range

$138,600 - $235,500

Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

What Your Job Will Be Like

The Materials Aging and Reliability Group (1850) has an opening for a manager in the Organic Material Science Department (1853). This. department is dedicated to scientific discovery, creativity, innovation and practical solutions for Sandia's many mission partners. The department specializes in aging science and predictive performance of polymers, synthetic organic and polymer chemistry, thermal, mechanical, chemical, and physical characterization of organic materials, and advanced manufacturing of polymers. The department perform reliability studies for polymers with an emphasis on understanding degradation mechanisms, structure-property relationships, and performance margins. Current areas of R&D in the department include: developing novel encapsulant materials, creating new thermoset chemistries for additive manufacturing, developing innovative NMR techniques to understand transport phenomena in polymers, measuring and optimizing electrical performance of polymer dielectrics, elucidating the interdependency of chemical change and polymer physics over long timeframes, creating reversible and degradable chemistries, understanding polymer interfacial properties and adhesion, measuring and predicting radiation effects on polymers, monitoring of reactive thermoset cure kinetics, and quantifying permeation behavior and spatially dependent degradation processes. We perform a complete spectrum of chemical, structural, thermal, rheological, and mechanical characterization of polymeric materials that must perform over 30 - 40 year lifetimes.

The 1853 manager will steward the department's capabilities, including staffing and career development, advancing experimental and facility capabilities and, developing work portfolios that exercise and advance the technical abilities of the staff.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

Set department direction and encourage innovation to advance capabilities that provide a differentiating advantage
Develop and implement unifying R&D strategies across mission portfolios through proactive mission engagement
Lead program development efforts to connect the department's expertise with potential beneficiaries, collaborators, and customers in alignment with organizational goals, Sandia's mission, and the Center's strategic plans
Strengthen customer partnerships to enrich relationships, use strengths, and amplify our mission impact.
Manage program execution to meet performance, cost and schedule requirements
Extend innovation to our daily activities by embracing new processes to streamline the business aspects of our work
Foster a diverse work environment and ensure a culture that promotes safety and security
Ensure the growth and development of all the members of the department individually
Build a high performing team to execute on the strategies developed
Coordinate recruitment, selection, training, performance assessment, work assignments, recognition and disciplinary actions
Serve as a derivative classifier (DC)

Due to the nature of the work, selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Qualifications We Require

Bachelor's and advanced degree in chemistry, materials science, engineering, physics, or a related field
Eight years' proven scientific and/or engineering experience
Solid communication skills as evidenced by a track record of publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and external presentations at professional scientific conferences
Demonstrated interpersonal skills through successful program leadership with internal and/or external customers
Ability to obtain a DOE Q-level security clearance
Qualifications We Desire

PhD in chemistry, materials science, engineering, physics, or related field
2 or more years of experience managing a Science and Technology (S&T) organization, or the equivalent program leadership experience
Experience developing new R&D opportunities
Dedicated to promoting a safe work environment
Proven track record forming trust-based relationships with partners and customers
Proven ability of building and leading teams that partner effectively and deliver results
Demonstrated dedication to Sandia values and to diversity
Demonstrated aptitude for people and organizational management, with motivation to develop people and improve the careers of associates
Familiarity with strategic planning and the creation and execution of actionable roadmaps with measurable metrics for success
Successful track record leading basic science research or mission-inspired R&D for national security
Customer focus to foster broad applications of materials science to mission
Experience representing Sandia S&T to internal and external customers
Experience in exercising critical thinking on a wide range of technical and nontechnical issues
About Our Team

The Organic Materials Science Department 1853 researches and develops new and advanced materials and processing strategies to meet a wide range of specialized applications in nuclear weapons, national security and industrial applications. Our department is dedicated to scientific discovery, creativity, innovation and practical solutions for our diverse customers. The department specializes in aging science and predictive performance of polymers, synthetic organic and polymer chemistry, thermal, mechanical, chemical, and physical characterization of organic materials, and advanced manufacturing of polymers. We perform reliability studies for polymers with an emphasis on understanding degradation mechanisms, structure-property relationships, and performance margins. Current areas of R&D in the department include: developing novel encapsulant materials, creating new thermoset chemistries for additive manufacturing, developing innovative NMR techniques to understand transport phenomena in polymers, measuring and optimizing electrical performance of polymer dielectrics, elucidating the interdependency of chemical change and polymer physics over long timeframes, creating reversible and degradable chemistries, understanding polymer interfacial properties and adhesion, measuring and predicting radiation effects on polymers, monitoring of reactive thermoset cure kinetics, and quantifying permeation behavior and spatially dependent degradation processes. We perform a complete spectrum of chemical, structural, thermal, rheological, and mechanical characterization of polymeric materials that must perform over 30 - 40 year lifetimes.

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
Extraordinary co-workers
Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at:
These benefits vary by job classification.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE . click apply for full job details