Job Description

We have a exciting opportunities for a Post-Doctoral Researcher at UL Research Institutes Electrochemical Safety Research Institutes based in our Rockville, Maryland (D.C. metro area) research facilities.

We are currently recruiting for several post-doctoral researcher opportunities. We welcome applications from exceptional talent whose experience, research focus and accomplishments may align with our scientific focus.

UL Research Institutes:

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Electrochemical Safety team who conducts the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice.

Electrochemical Safety Research Institute:

The Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI) investigates the safety and performance limits of energy technologies. Through our discovery-driven research, we innovate, test, model, and lay the foundation for electrochemical energy storage that is both safe and reliable. Our scientific research helps everyone in the energy storage and battery value chain — from cell and battery manufacturers, suppliers, and original equipment manufacturers to recyclers, shippers, and consumers — understand and thereby help minimize the various safety risks associated with batteries in various applications, including electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems.

Collaborating with a wide variety of partners to help meet the world’s energy safety needs, we disseminate information by convening a diverse group of stakeholders at events such as global battery summits and webinars to find data-driven solutions to new and emerging energy storage risks.

Through all of our programs, we aim to unlock the diverse perspectives that are essential for solving the world’s most pressing safety and sustainability issues.

What you’ll learn and achieve:

As the Post-Doctoral Researcher, Battery Safety, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Conducts primary research in battery safety, including thermal runaway, fire behavior, materials, cell safety, manufacturing processes, diagnostics, charging technologies, and system-level risks to advance ULRI's thought leadership and research strategy.

• Applies knowledge of scientific principles to the specific research tasks.

• Exercises a high degree of judgment in formulating, evaluating, and correlating broad research concepts, guiding the analysis of unique problems, and developing new and improved techniques and methods.

• Assume primary responsibility for development of independent research. 

• Assist with experiments, data collection, evaluations, and support researchers on projects; analyze results.

• Plan, design and complete initial and follow up procedures as needed to test and validate results. 

• Perform research to a high standard and in accordance with all institutional and federal regulations.

• Collaborate with ULRI colleagues and universities.

• Contribute to and participate in webinars, conference presentations, writing papers for journal publications, facilitate training programs.   

What you’ll experience working at UL Research Institutes: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

• People: Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require.

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You’ll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Proven ability to perform independent research and support publication.

• Demonstrated general knowledge of scientific disciplines in electrochemistry, energy storage, battery safety and safety of other energy technologies.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain academic and applied knowledge and skills.

• Ability to collaborate with peers and work directly with other team members and external collaborators in order to complete a project from start to finish.

• Excellent report, publication, presentation and general communication skills required.

 Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Ph.D. in chemistry, materials science and engineering, and related engineering conferred within three years of application or completion of Ph.D. requirements by commencement of appointment.

• Experience working in an electrochemistry or engineering lab required.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.

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