Autonomous Laboratories, Robotics & Artificial Intelligence – Postdoctoral Researcher

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to contribute to the design development and deployment of autonomous laboratories that accelerate scientific discovery through the integration of artificial intelligence robotics automation data infrastructure and experimental capabilities across advanced manufacturing materials science chemistry and biology. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of hands-on laboratory automation robotics and AI-enabled experimentation across a broad portfolio of application areas. This role is well suited for a researcher who is excited by both scientific investigation and platform development. You will help translate research questions into experimental workflows prototype and troubleshoot automated and robotic systems analyze data from active research campaigns and contribute to the development of next-generation autonomous laboratories.   This position is within the Materials Engineering Division (MED) in the Engineering Directorate.

You will 

• Design and validate autonomous experimental workflows for materials science chemistry advanced manufacturing biology or related scientific domains transforming research questions and bench-scale procedures into reproducible automation protocols.
• Integrate instruments robotics sensors and software systems into coordinated autonomous or semi-autonomous laboratory platforms that enable safe reliable and scalable experimentation.
• Develop software and data infrastructure in support of research campaigns for instrument control data acquisition experiment orchestration workflow automation metadata capture traceability and integration with laboratory information or data management systems.
• Apply AI/ML methods to experimental discovery including experiment planning adaptive experimentation predictive modeling optimization and analysis of experimental and instrument data.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary research campaigns by troubleshooting platform performance documenting and communicating results publishing in peer-reviewed journals presenting at conferences and collaborating with scientists engineers roboticists automation engineers and AI/ML researchers.
• Present research findings at seminars conferences and technical meetings; contribute to research design and project execution; collaborate in a multidisciplinary team environment; and publish results in peer-reviewed journals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications :

• Ph.D. in Materials Science Chemistry Chemical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering Computer Science Robotics Physics or a related field.
• Experience performing research in materials science chemistry laboratory automation robotics AI/ML or autonomous experimentation.
• Ability to design execute analyze and communicate scientific or engineering research.
• Experience developing software for scientific computing experimental control data analysis automation or instrument integration.
• Familiarity with one or more programming languages commonly used in research or automation environments such as Python MATLAB LabVIEW C/C or similar.
• Ability to work hands-on with experimental systems laboratory equipment instruments sensors or robotic platforms.
• Proficient verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment and present and explain technical information.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to collaborative research teams.

Qualifications We Desire 

• Experience developing or operating autonomous laboratories self-driving labs high-throughput experimentation platforms or closed-loop experimental systems.
• Experience integrating robotic systems laboratory instruments sensors vision systems synthesis or characterization tools and other automated workcells.
• Experience with instrument control vendor APIs/SDKs data acquisition experiment orchestration software laboratory information systems or scientific data infrastructure.
• Experience applying AI/ML methods to experimental science such as Bayesian optimization active learning reinforcement learning generative models agent-based systems computer vision or predictive modeling.
• Experience or interest in agentic AI physical AI embodied AI vision-language-action models or autonomous decision-making systems for planning coordinating and executing experiments on robotic instrumented or hardware-based laboratory platforms.
• Experience with materials science chemistry advanced manufacturing biology or related experimental workflows along with a demonstrated interest in developing autonomous discovery platforms for mission-relevant research.

Pay Range

$122028 - $143328 Annually

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education experience the external labor market and internal equity.

Additional Information :

#LI-Onsite

Position Information

This is a Postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of extension to a maximum of three years open to those who have been awarded a PhD at time of hire date.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

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

  No

  
  

  Employment Type :

  Full-time