Postdoctoral Appointee: Laser Probe Diagnostics & Materials Physics

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to advance research in in-situ laser probe characterization of wide-gap semiconductors. You will plan experiments, install and maintain diagnostic tools, and analyze data to control atomic-scale defect populations.

You will publish in peer‑reviewed journals and present findings at conferences, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across Sandia.

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field conferred within 5 years prior to employment.
• Experience designing and building optical systems.
• Experience with laser pump‑probe imaging, velocimetry techniques (direct imaging, photon Doppler velocimetry, and/or VISAR), and/or non-commercial spectroscopy.
• Experience with materials characterization techniques such as photoluminescence spectroscopy, electron microscopy, plasma diagnostics, and/or measurement of thermodynamic and transport properties.
• Record of publishing results in peer‑reviewed journals and presenting at scientific and/or technical conferences.
• Conversational understanding of physics and materials science.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.
• Experience with sensors and analysis of spectroscopic data (Desire).
• Data analytics, EM field modelling, and image processing (ImageJ, COMSOL, C++, MatLab, Python) (Desire).
• Background in heat/mass transport theory at particle/microstructural scale (Desire).
• Experience determining equations of state from material shock response (Desire).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (Desire).

Responsibilities

• Plan and perform experiments, install, repair, and maintain diagnostic tools, and analyze data related to wide-gap semiconductors.
• Perform design and characterization to support projects or experiments.
• Publish journal articles and present work at local and national conferences.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary research groups within Sandia National Laboratories to develop new research opportunities.

Skills

Optical design

Pump-probe imaging

Velocimetry

Spectroscopy

Materials characterization

Peer-reviewed publishing

DOE clearance

Physics & materials science

Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Metallurgical/Materials Engineering

PhD in Applied Physics

PhD in related field

Tools

ImageJ

COMSOL

C++

MatLab

Python

Electron microscopy

Job description

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to advance research in in-situ laser probe characterization of wide-gap semiconductors. You will plan experiments, install and maintain diagnostic tools, and analyze data to control atomic-scale defect populations.

You will publish in peer‑reviewed journals and present findings at conferences, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across Sandia.