Job Description

Posting Text
South Dakota Mines is seeking a Research Scientist II in the Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Health Sciences. This is a regular, full-time, benefited position. The position is for a qualified individual with experience and understanding of safety, chemical operations, laboratory settings, and computer control systems. A bachelor’s degree in an engineering, chemistry, physics, or experience in a science related field is required. The successful candidate will complete set duties to facilitate smooth operations of the experiment as well as good communication skills to help maintain the DOE experiments being conducted in the underground lab. Extensive reading and execution of DOE documents is expected along with moderate physical activity including electroforming bath construction, liquid nitrogen system operation and troubleshooting, along with electrical and computer operations. Understanding of class 100 and 100 cleanrooms is complimentary but not required. SURF is located within the old Homestake mine and even though the lab space is modern occasional access to the primitive parts is necessary.

The LEGEND experiment Electroforming and Clean Materials lab is located within the Majorana Demonstrator detector space (MJD) at the Sanford Underground Laboratory (SURF) in the Davis Campus, 4850-level underground . South Dakota Mines is responsible for all of the space including electroforming facility, cleaning space, waste handling, nitrogen purge and liquid nitrogen systems, glovebox storage to reduce Rn contamination, and machine shop along with other management and operation of the Ta-180m experiment. There is heavy emphasis on host lab infrastructure operations and EH&S related issues for this job. We follow the standards laid out by Dept. of Energy Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for all tasks within the operation of our laboratory at SURF underground as well as a location on surface.

South Dakota Mines is a best-in-class STEM university that offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees located in Rapid City, the state’s second largest city with a MSA population of over 158,000. With 226 days of sunshine, 1.2 million acres of breathtaking scenery of the Black Hills National Forest, 700 miles of motorized trails and nearly 500 miles of hiking trails, there is a lot to see and do. People from around the world come here each year to see top attractions like Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Crazy Horse Memorial, Badlands National Park, Terry Peak Ski Area, and Reptile Gardens. There’s something for everybody!

At Mines, our vision is to develop world-class leaders in science and engineering to benefit society through education, innovation, and engagement. Nearly 2,500 students from every state and over 40 countries are represented on our campus. Mines is an affordable option with a great return on investment.

Known for our academic rigor, we maintain an average class size of 24 and our students benefit from immersive learning experiences including undergraduate research, co-ops/internships, and nationally competitive engineering teams. These experiences make graduates highly sought after by industry and attributes to high starting salaries and 98% placement rate in the field of study.

Research at Mines encompasses four main areas: energy and environment; materials and manufacturing; STEM education; and underground science and engineering. Entrepreneurship is highly valued and programming assists students and faculty to engage in entrepreneurial activities and transition scientific and technological innovations into viable products and business startups.

South Dakota Mines is committed to recruiting and retaining a talented workforce and offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life coverage options for employees, spouses and dependents; retirement plans; paid holidays; and a generous vacation and sick day allowance. Individuals interested in this position must apply online at https://www.sdsmt.edu/employment/. Human Resources can provide accommodation to the online application process and may be reached at (605) 394-1203. Review of applications will begin July 16, 2024. Employment is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Please attach a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references (include name, mailing and email address for each reference).