Hyperspectral Geology - Postdoctoral Researcher

About the role

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Postdoctoral Research Program provides mentored training to enhance professional skills and research independence for individuals who have recently earned their doctoral degree and are pursuing their chosen career path. This opening is for a Postdoctoral Researcher to investigate mineral assemblages and geochemical signatures in legacy mine tailings as indicators of critical-mineral potential. The position is in the Atmospheric, Earth, and Energy Division, within the Physical and Life Sciences Directorate. Candidates from mineralogy, geology, geochemistry, mining, hyperspectral imaging, multimodal data science, machine learning, and/or related disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Combine whole-tailings chemistry, hyperspectral and other quantitative imaging, and complementary characterization data to identify abundant mineral proxies and assemblages associated with trace critical minerals.
• Evaluate relationships among site geology, ore-processing history, mineral alteration, weathering, and spectral response, with a major focus on identifying the visible and near-infrared to short-wavelength infrared (VNIR-SWIR) features and wavelength bands most useful for recognizing critical-mineral proxy assemblages under laboratory and field conditions.
• Examine how mineral mixing, grain size, moisture, surface roughness, and weathering influence spectral detection and uncertainty.
• Design and implement statistical, chemometric, and/or machine learning and Super Intelligence (formerly referred to as Artificial Intelligence, or AI) techniques and reproducible quantitative workflows in one or more of the above areas.
• Actively participate in conception, design, and execution of independent (but complementary) research and collaborate with a broad spectrum of scientists (geologists, mineralogists, microscopists, spectroscopists, data scientists, physicists, and engineers developing field-deployable characterization systems) internally and externally to the Laboratory to achieve project goals.
• Organize, analyze, and present results at external conferences, seminars and/or technical meetings; and publish research results in peer-reviewed scientific or technical journals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• PhD in geology, geochemistry, mining, or a related field.
• Experience with one or more of the following areas: quantitative mineralogical or geochemical characterization; hyperspectral imaging or reflectance spectroscopy; scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) imaging, or multimodal data integration.
• Experience with quantitative characterization of mine deposits, tailings, waste rock, or other heterogeneous geological materials.
• Experience with VNIR-SWIR hyperspectral imaging.
• Analytical proficiency with python/pytorch, MATLAB, R, machine learning packages, or comparable tools.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills to collaborate effectively in a team environment; demonstrated ability to explain technical information; and record of independent research and publication.
• Effective initiative and interpersonal skills and ability to work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment.

Preferred qualifications

• Additional experience with spectral calibration, spectral unmixing, feature extraction, spectral library development, reflectance spectroscopy, and/or reduced-band sensor design.
• Experience with machine learning (e.g., image segmentation, spatial analysis, chemometrics, clustering, classification, probabilistic modeling) or Super Intelligence (formerly referred to as Artificial Intelligence, or AI) methods for proxy identification, uncertainty quantification, or detection of mineral associations.
• Experience with multimodal fusion of chemical, mineralogical, spectral, image, and geospatial data.
• Experience with additional characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, UV-excited fluorescence, etc.

Pay

$123,048 annually. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Position details

This is a Postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of extension to a maximum of three years. The postdoctoral appointment is a temporary, mentored training position intended for individuals in the early stages of their postdoctoral research careers. Consistent with the structure of the program, applicants must have received their Ph.D. (or equivalent doctorate) within five years of the anticipated start date.

Benefits

• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (depending on project needs)

Security & compliance

• No security clearance required initially. However, if your assignment is longer than 179 days cumulatively within a calendar year, you must go through the Personal Identity Verification process, which includes completing an online background investigation form and receiving approval of the background check.
• The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 3112, generally prohibits citizens of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea without dual US citizenship or legal permanent residence from accessing specific non-public areas of national security or nuclear weapons facilities. Candidates must be eligible to access the Laboratory in compliance with Section 3112.
• External applicants selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test, including testing for marijuana as Federal Law applies to LLNL as a Federal Contractor.
• Per Department of Energy (DOE) requirements, LLNL must meet certain restrictions with the use and/or possession of mobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area where personal and/or laboratory mobile devices (cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices) are not permitted. Medical devices that pair with mobile devices must still follow the rules concerning the mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or with wireless disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space, and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities require separate approval.