Postdoctoral Appointee - Nuclear Theory

Argonne National Laboratory; Lemont (IL); On-site; USD 73,000 - 121,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Job summary

Argonne National Laboratory’s Theory Group in the Physics Division seeks postdoctoral researchers in nuclear theory to begin as early as Spring 2027. The two-year positions may extend by one year, contingent on funding and performance.

Applications received by November 20, 2026 will receive fullest consideration. The group collaborates across divisions and has access to extensive resources for QCD, hadron physics, and nuclear structure/reactions.

Qualifications

• Recent or soon-to-be-completed PhD (within 0–5 years) in theoretical physics or a related field.
• PhD completed before the start date of the postdoctoral position and no more than 5 years of postdoctoral experience.
• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork.
• We welcome applications from a wide candidate pool that broadly meet these criteria.

Skills

Theoretical physics

Nuclear theory

QCD

Education

PhD in theoretical physics or related field

Job description

The Theory Group in the Physics Division at Argonne National Laboratory is seeking candidates for postdoctoral positions in nuclear theory, to begin as early as Spring2027. The positions are for two years, with the possibility of one additional year contingent upon funding and performance.

Applications received by November20,2026 will receive our fullest consideration.

The Theory Group has four staff members [IanCloët, AlessandroLovato, AnnaMcCoy, and YongZhao] and several postdocs and students. The group has a broad research program in QCD/hadron physics and nuclear structure/reactions, with an emphasis on using artificial intelligence and quantum information science. The group has access to extensive laboratory and national computational resources and collaborates closely with computational scientists in other divisions, including Mathematics and Computer Science (MCS) and the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF).

SciDAC‑5 Projects

• Femtoscale Imaging of Nuclei using Exascale Platforms
• Fundamental nuclear physics at exascale and beyond
• Nuclear Computational Low Energy Initiative (NUCLEI)

Genesis Mission Projects

• LatticeQCD at the Intelligence Frontier (PhaseII)
• AI‑Enabled Optimization of Quantum Circuit Design for Realistic Nuclear Problems (PhaseI)

Topical Collaborations

• 3D quark‑gluon structure of hadrons: mass, spin, and tomography
• Nuclear Theory for New Physics

Further information on our group and its research activities can be found at www.anl.gov/phy/theory.

Position Requirements

• Recent or soon‑to‑be‑completed PhD (within the last0‑5years) in theoretical physics or a related field (Completed prior to the start date of the postdoctoral position and no more than5years of postdoctoral experience)
• Ability to model Argonne’s core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity, and teamwork
• We are seeking a wide candidate pool so welcome applications from all those interested that broadly meet these criteria.

Job Family Postdoctoral
Job Profile Postdoctoral Appointee
Worker Type Long‑Term (Fixed Term)
Time Type Full time

The expected hiring range for this position is $72,879.00-$121,465.00. Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.

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