The Laboratory Director Jill Hruby Postdoctoral Fellowship in National Security Science and Engineering, established in 2018, stands as one of Sandia National Laboratories’ most prestigious postdoctoral fellowships. This prestigious fellowship is specifically designed to empower and cultivate women in the fields of engineering and science, fostering their passion for technical leadership careers in the realm of national security.
At the forefront of this fellowship is Jill Hruby, a trailblazing figure who made history as the first woman to assume the role of director in a large, multidisciplinary national security laboratory. Her unwavering dedication has inspired countless women at Sandia and across the nation to pursue technical leadership paths. Notably, Jill was also handpicked to serve as the Department of Energy’s Under Secretary for Nuclear Security during the Biden Administration.
Jill Hruby Fellows will embark on independent research endeavors that align with Sandia’s overarching mission: the development of cutting-edge technologies to ensure global peace. With the privilege of proposing their own research topics, fellows will gain unparalleled access to Sandia’s state-of-the-art facilities and collaborate with some of the nation’s most brilliant scientists and engineers.
To further enhance their growth, each fellow will be assigned a mentor from Sandia’s technical staff who possesses expertise and interest in the fellow’s chosen research area. This emphasis on research mentoring not only integrates fellows into Sandia’s esteemed R&D teams but also equips them with invaluable skills during the early stages of their career development.
The Laboratory Director Jill Hruby Postdoctoral Fellowship in National Security Science and Engineering is an extraordinary opportunity that propels scientists and engineers towards technical leadership roles while contributing to the advancement of global peace through groundbreaking research.
In addition to research, Hruby Fellows will participate in a unique leadership development program that will prepare them for career advancement as recognized leaders in their field or institution. Fellows will:
- Participate as a member on internal research proposal selection committee
- Engage with government relations to understand how Sandia supports national decision making
- Participate in a leadership development program, including coaching and peer mentoring
- Opportunities for mentorship from senior technical leadership at the laboratory
To be considered for this fellowship, applicants must display excellent abilities in scientific and/or engineering research and show clear promise of becoming an extraordinary leader. Fellows may work at either of Sandia’s principal locations in New Mexico or California. All qualified applicants will be considered for this fellowship.
Selection will be based on a comprehensive application and interview process. Special attention will be given to recruiting and attracting outstanding women with demonstrated academic achievement and leadership capabilities.
Benefits
Sandia’s competitive wage and benefits package includes an annual salary of $119,700 ($131,700 CA) ; flexible work arrangements; 13 paid holidays; three weeks of vacation; health, vision, and dental insurance; and a 401(k) savings plan with company match.
The fellowship includes full salary and benefits for three years plus a yearly allowance of $100K which can be used for research equipment, additional personnel, and travel.
Application process
The Hruby Fellowship is a three-year appointment. The application deadline for the current cycle is September 12, 2024, and the appointment normally commences on Oct. 1, although exceptions may be made to accommodate special circumstances.
To apply for the Hruby Fellowship:
- Download and read the Hruby Leadership Application Guidelines and prepare the required documentation, as described in the guidelines.
- Search “Hruby Fellowship” on Sandia’s Careers portal.
- Click “Apply Now,” and follow the instructions to upload your application, including resume and required documentation as described in the guidelines.
- Contact HrubyFellowship@sandia.gov with questions
Fellowship Experiences
Samantha Jaszewkski, 2023 Hruby Fellow
Harnassing ferroelectric materials in extreme environments
During her fellowship, Samantha Jaszewski is researching computer memory that is based on ferroelectric materials, specifically focusing on hafnium oxide.
Hafnium oxide is a material that is present in computer chips; in its ferroelectric form, it can be used as a memory material that can enable further miniaturization of computer components.
“The material increases the efficiencies and lowers the energy needed for computing, which is important because the energy needs from computing are constantly increasing,” Samantha said.
Hafnium oxide also has the potential to withstand harsh radiation environments, which is important for several national security applications.
Hannah Stroud, 2023 Hruby Fellow
Enhancing reentry vehicle models with roughness features
Seeking the ability to choose her own research path and learn from the best and brightest, Hannah Stroud applied for the Jill Hruby Fellowship. Her experience as an intern gave her insight into the fellowship application process and the opportunities available at Sandia.
“Before beginning my internship, I didn’t know very much about Sandia at all. The internship process was helpful for understanding the type of work I could do as a postdoc, as well as for making connections with technical leaders who gave me a lot of guidance,” Hannah said.
Hannah earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University. Her graduate research focused on aerospace structures and the ways they can change shape under loads. Hannah’s dissertation explored how forces from fluids like air and water can remove material from a structure, a topic which eventually connected her to scientists studying ablative thermal protection systems at Sandia.
When a vehicle reaches hypersonic speeds, the fast-moving air applies forces that result in friction, leading to extreme heating. To protect the vehicle and its contents, a sacrificial material can be burned off in a controlled way, taking heat away from the vehicle. This process changes the geometry of the vehicle, however, and often in non-uniform ways.
Hannah’s current work proposes methods for including aerodynamic effects of rough surface geometries produced during the ablation process in both fluid models and the ablation model itself. She and other scientists believe that understanding coupled effects are key to developing better hypersonic systems.
“I have a lot of support from people who are invested in the outcome of my work. I’m surrounded by a great team with so much knowledge and experience, and I’m so fortunate to learn everything I can from them,” said Hannah. https://www.sandia.gov/labnews/2024/05/02/exceptional-mission-work-achieved-through-sandia-postdoc-program/
Sommer Johansen, 2022 Hruby Fellow
Sommer Johansen received her doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of California, Davis, where her thesis involved going backward in time to explore the evolution of prebiotic molecules in the form of cyclic nitrogen compounds; her time machine consisted of combining laboratory spectroscopy and computational chemistry to learn how these molecules formed during the earliest stages of our solar system. She aims to improve models that demonstrate how burning bio-derived fuels affect the Earth’s planetary ecology and severe forest fires caused by climate change during her Hruby fellowship at Sandia National Laboratories.
Alex Downs, 2022 Hruby Fellow
Alex Downs completed her doctorate at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in August 2021. Her thesis title was “Electrochemical Methods for Improving Spatial Resolution, Temporal Resolution, and Signal Accuracy of Aptamer Biosensors.” She thought, “There’s a huge opportunity here for freedom to explore my research interests.” She hopes to create wearable biosensors that gather real-time molecular measurements from health markers and would lessen the need to visit doctors’ offices and labs for evaluations during her Hruby fellowship at Sandia National Laboratories.
Learn more about the 2022 Hruby Fellows.