Multiphysics Simulations of Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer Performance Degradation

Organization

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)

Reference Code

NETL-Postdoc-2024-Abernathy

How To Apply

A complete application consists of:

• An application, including academic history, work history experiences, and honors/awards
• Description of your goals, related experience, and related skills – refer to NETL's Core Competencies and ongoing projects when applicable
• Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations You must provide contact information for at least two recommenders in your application. The first two recommendations received will be attached to your application for review by NETL. You may click the "send" (paper airplane) button to send the recommendation request email immediately after entering their information prior to submitting your application; if not, a request will automatically be sent when you submit your application. Your recommenders will receive an email with a subject line of "[Your Name] - ORISE Recommendation Request - [your email]", from Zintellect@orau.org. This email will include information on the opportunity to which you have applied, as well as a secure link to submit a recommendation for you for this application. If you ask the same person to submit a recommendation for you for multiple applications in Zintellect, they must click the unique link in each email request, but will be given the opportunity to copy over what they had previously submitted.
  
  

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

If you have questions about the application process, contact NETLinfo@orau.org.

After you have submitted an application in Zintellect, you may reach out to internship.program@netl.doe.gov to request to talk with the hosting researcher if you would like additional information on the project or to express particular interest. You must have a completed application in Zintellect to receive a response.

Application Tips

NETL values a combination of academic success, experience, and leadership potential as demonstrated in all aspects of your application. NETL's goal is to create, maintain, and support a diverse environment that encourages creative ideas and leadership. In the words of former Lab Director Brian Anderson, "our differences make us stronger and we’re united in fostering inclusivity in all aspects of our research to drive innovation and deliver solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future." In your application, show us who you are!

To increase your chances of being selected for an appointment, we recommend:

• Tailoring your responses to align with the project. What parts of the project are most interesting to you?
• Spending sufficient time on your essay responses and your resume. Give yourself time to review your writing!
• Ensuring that everything you submit is grammatically correct and clearly expressed.
  
  

Application Deadline

1/31/2025 11:59:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

The National Energy Technology Laboratory's (NETL's) record of success has been built on understanding the future of energy and the technologies required to make that future possible. We’ve long touted our success in developing the technologies that took on acid rain in the 1970s and mercury in the early 2000s. More recently, NETL has a leading role in President Biden’s ambitious climate goals, including a carbon emission-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero economy by 2050.

Program Goals

The NETL Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program (Postdoc) is a high-intensity program designed to identify recent Doctoral graduates of high promise and to foster advanced skill development. It allows the postdoc to systematically outline career goals and helps provide the means of achieving these goals. NETL principal investigators and leads serve as mentors to postdoctoral participants during the program. This interaction affords the postdoc a unique opportunity to develop critical skills needed to become an independent professional.

The program goals include providing the opportunity to participants to:

• Develop skills and knowledge in their field of study
• Engage with new areas of basic and applied research
• Network with world-class scientists
• Exchange ideas and skills with the Laboratory community
• Use state-of-the-art equipment
• Contribute to answers for today's pressing scientific questions
• Collaborate with the broader scientific and technical communities
  
  

Project Details

Through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), this posting seeks a post-Doctoral or post-Master's researcher to engage in projects with the Research Innovation Center (RIC) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in the area of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells under the mentorship of Harry Abernathy. This project will be hosted at the NETL Morgantown, WV campus.

An opportunity exists for a post-doctoral researcher to develop computational multiphysics models and data analysis tools in support of the NETL Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer research group. Research efforts focus primarily on: (1) accurate capture of the relevant physical and chemical processes in a high temperature electrochemical device; and (2) validation of models using detailed in-house experiments or independently published reports. Within individual model development tasks, a lower priority has been assigned to ensure that the models and tools are computationally efficient, accessible, and user-friendly. Broadly, the project goals include the following activities:

• Generate computational environments using commercially relevant paradigms that allow rapid execution of existing cell performance models;
• Create and implement codes for studied chemical and mechanical degradation modes (e.g., secondary phase formation, cracking, particle coarsening) of solid oxide cell components;
• Establish a user interface for each of the independent models that permits a non-expert to complete simulations;
• Implement a methodology for data exchange between independent simulation and analysis modules, ultimately producing a comprehensive performance degradation modeling framework;
• Ensure that models are computing in true parallel fashion;
• Generate high fidelity visualization tools supporting analysis.
  
  

Learning Objectives

• Use high performance computing to probe the connection between material properties, device microstructure, and lifetime performance.
• Develop computational tools for simulating electrochemical performance of solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers.
• Learn to interact effectively with experimental and computational scientists from multiple national labs and universities to accelerate development of solid oxide fuel cells and electrolyzers.
• Improve written and oral communication skills through giving research updates in in-house subgroup and group meetings, preparing and editing technical manuscripts, and delivering presentations and posters at scientific conferences and review meetings.
  
  

Stipend: The selected participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

• Post-Doctoral stipend is $7486 per month.
  
  

Deliverables: To document the effectiveness of the program, participants are required to submit a pre-appointment and post-appointment survey, as well as a reflection on their appointment experience when they renew or end their appointment. The reflection should summarize their project(s), additional activities, and overall experience. Details are provided as the appointment end date approaches.

Participants may also have the opportunity to contribute to manuscripts, journal articles, book chapters, conference presentations, posters, patents, and other publications as a part of their appointment. Such achievements should also be reported to ORISE; additional details are provided after an offer has been accepted.

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory system, is owned and operated by the DOE. NETL supports the DOE mission to advance the energy security of the United States. This is an educational opportunity offered by NETL and administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Participants in the program are not considered employees of NETL, DOE, the program administrator, or any other office or agency.

Qualifications

To be eligible, you must either:

• have received a Doctoral degree within the last five years or be currently enrolled in a Doctoral degree program and complete the degree prior to the appointment start date.
  
  

The ideal candidate would have some, but not necessarily all, of the following:

• Demonstrable skill in advanced mathematical algorithms and computational methods for solving complex reaction and transport problems.
• Significant experience in computer programming (in FORTRAN, MATLAB, and/or Julia) and will preferably have experience in programming suitable for a high power computing environment.
• Excellent communication skills and should have demonstrated experience completing research in a collaborative/team environment.
• The candidate is NOT required to possess experience in solid oxide fuel cells or electrolyzers, but stronger consideration will be given to candidates with some experience in fuel cells, electrolyzers, electroceramic materials, electrochemistry, or any related systems in sensors, membranes, and other energy conversion devices.
  
  

Point of Contact

Ryan Cross

Eligibility Requirements">12 )

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences ( Show more