Carbon Materials Research Scientist

Description

Leidos is seeking an exceptional and motivated Research Scientist who is interested in pursuing their passion and expanding their expertise by working side-by-side with world experts through a post-doctoral research appointment at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). In this role, you will work as part of DOE's leading engineering R&D laboratory team supporting NETL to address carbon management and energy storage challenges through novel carbon materials synthesis and characterization. Specifically, you will work with NETL's carbon materials manufacturing team to develop novel methods to synthesize graphite, graphene, porous and nano-porous, and composite carbon materials for optimal electrochemical energy storage performance. In this role, you will engage with world-class carbon materials synthesis researchers and electrochemical storage engineers, including leading DOE scientists and external partners to develop world-changing energy solutions that address global carbon management.

What this opportunity with Leidos supporting NETL uniquely provides you:

• Working on applied, cutting-edge projects with global impact while being mentored by the nation's leading energy scientists and engineers.
• Real-world experience supplemented with technical development and discussions that provide unique insight into the broad range of mission critical engineering and scientific disciplines NETL leverages to support national energy research and policy development.
• Unique access to world-class, customized facilities specific to high impact energy research, technology generation, and patent development.
• Participation in novel fundamental and applied energy technology development with direct economic impact on global carbon management and resource use.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Synthesize graphite, graphene, porous carbons, activated carbons, and composite carbon materials with polymers, metals, and metal oxides.
• Characterize the structural, optical, and electronic properties of different carbonaceous materials and composites using techniques including electron microscopy, FTIR, Raman, TGA, surface area analyzer, UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and XRD.
• Fabricate electrochemical cells (coin cell, split cell, and pouch cell) with novel carbon materials.
• Characterize electrochemical properties of new electrode materials for batteries and supercapacitors using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge discharge, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and other analyses as appropriate.
• Participate and present results in regular team meetings, contribute to progress reports and research proposals, and prepare scientific manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Material Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline with 2+ years related experience
• Ability to meet the requirement for gaining access to work on the NETL campus
• Hands-on experience and expertise in conducting synthesis and functionalization of carbon nanomaterials as demonstrated through publication record
• Considerable knowledge of and experience with diverse electrochemistry techniques and developing, testing, and characterizing electrode materials as demonstrated through publication record
• Experience with common carbon materials characterization techniques such as electron microscopy, XPS, Raman, FTIR, UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and XRD
• Demonstrated ability to publish high impact research
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team to solve problems of scientific and technological interest

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Material Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related engineering discipline
• Experience with or knowledge of electrochemical energy storage devices such as Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors and their testing and characterization

Salary range for this position: $95K to $105K

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

September 24, 2025

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $85,150.00 - $153,925.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Client-provided location(s): Pittsburgh, PA

Job ID: Leidos-R-00167327

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

Posted: 2025-09-24T18:46:00