So it has been a LONG time since I have been on here and I have been BUSY. I spent the month of November working like a dog to get my scientific paper published from my work here in Aachen. Once that was published I focused that same energy on looking for jobs in the USA. It's not a good time to be looking but it's time for me to look so I tested the waters and applied to about 20 different jobs as a scientist at companies and one at a national lab.
Through December I finally heard back from two people, one was for a scientist at a company, and another was from the national laboratory which I have been dreaming about working at for about 10 years! Just before Christmas I flew home and spent a week flying around the country doing the interviews for these two places. The company was in PA and the lab was in Colorado. Each day was a solid 8-9 hours of interviews, with a one hour science talk on my work during the day as well.
I ended up landing my absolute DREAM job! I will be a permanent staff scientist at the National Renewable Energy Lab, as part of the National Center for Photovoltaics I will be a TOF-SIMS specialist and work on making better and more efficient solar cells. This job is using the skills I have learned in Aachen and I would not have gotten it without having come here. The lab is absolutely amazing, the people were so great there, and the location is like something from a dream for me. The lab is in Golden, Colorado just west of Denver on the mountains, and is an epicenter for hiking/biking/fishing/skiing.
Anne and I will be leaving Aachen for good on Wednesday this week already! We will visit her relatives in Krakow one more time before flying back to the US. Febuary will be spent at home in NY and in early March we move on to our new adventure. I am looking forward to posting many pics of the Rocky Mountains in the years to come. I really miss being active on here, but life has gotten in the way for me the last 6 months. Here's to wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2012.
This is a photo of me at my goodbye I threw for my co-workers at my favorite bar in town on Friday after work. They are all making it really hard to leave!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I'm so excited for you! Such wonderful news! Wishing you lots of luck with your upcoming moves, and I can't wait to see the gorgeous photos you're sure to be getting when you make it out to Colorado!
Oh, excellent!! Colorado is an awesome place to be and congrats on finding a job right now! (Those interviews can be brutal!) Sounds like the perfect one for you :)
Congratulations on all the good news! Wow life really has been busy for you! You've had an awesome experience in Aachen and now the adventure continues in Colorado. I have relatives that live outside of Denver in Parker. It's such a beautiful area! Safe travels and wishing you the best of everything in your new job and home.
Whoo Hoo! Congratulations. So happy for you and sounds like a challenging assignment in a beautiful part of this country. Will be looking for your beautiful shots of Co.
How great it was to get a comment from you on my mushroom pic so I thought I had better catch up with you! Your commentary sounds so exciting Steve! Congratulations on landing such a great job....well done! and in such a beautiful part of the States. You must both be very excited! Good luck with your transfer back, sounds like a sad but busy time. Look forward to seeing your new photos when you get settled.
WOW!!!! CONGRATS! You are going to LOVE COLORADO!!! Such a great place to live and work! You will certainly miss a lot about living in Germany! I have lived both places and loved them both for very different reasons! Wonderful photo!!!
February 21st, 2012
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