Postdoctoral Appointee - Photonic Integrated Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; New Mexico; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Relocation assistance

Generous vacation

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM, seeks a Postdoctoral Appointee to advance automated test and characterization of photonic integrated circuits for quantum systems and sensors. You will develop software, instrumentation interfaces, and experimental workflows for an automated probe station, aiming to integrate AI/ML for adaptive measurements and higher throughput.

The position involves collaboration with physicists, materials scientists, and engineers, with onsite work and

Qualifications

• PhD conferred within 5 years prior to employment in a relevant field.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE L clearance.
• First-author journal publications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement code for autoprober hardware control.
• Develop agentic measurement protocols for automated tests.
• Run the automated probe station and analyze results.
• Design photonic integrated circuits and oversee fabrication.
• Characterize photonic circuits on piezo‑optomechanical platform.
• Communicate results via publications and conferences.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of experimentalists and theorists.

Skills

Code for hardware control

Agentic measurement protocols

Autoprober operation

Photonic circuit design

Piezo‑optomechanical characterization

Publications & presentations

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD in Physics / Electrical Engineering / Materials Science

Tools

Python

LabVIEW

Data acquisition

Job description

Postdoctoral Appointee – Photonic Integrated Systems, Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting‑edge work in a broad array of areas.

Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co‑workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten‑hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part‑time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to advance automated test and characterization capabilities for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) designed for quantum systems and photonic sensors. This role will focus on the development of software, instrumentation interfaces, and experimental workflows for an automated probe station used to evaluate integrated photonic devices.

The successful candidate will design and implement code for hardware control, measurement automation, data acquisition, and analysis. In addition, this position will emphasize the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches into the testing workflow, with the goal of enabling adaptive, agentic measurement protocols that can make informed decisions during device characterization, optimize test execution, and improve throughput and insight generation.

Research activities may also include device design and modeling, mask layout, characterization, and development of new photonic‑based architectures. In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead research efforts and publications while working closely with a multidisciplinary team of physicists, materials scientists, and engineers.

On any given day, you may be called upon to:

• Design and implement code for autoprober hardware control
• Develop and implement agentic measurement protocols on the autoprober
• Run the automated probe station and analyze results
• Design photonic integrated circuits and oversee related fabrication
• Characterize photonic integrated circuits in our piezo‑optomechanical platform
• Communicate research results through publications and conferences
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including experimentalists and theorists

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. Relocation will be provided for those that qualify.

Qualifications – Requirements

PhD, conferred within 5 years prior to employment in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline

Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE L clearance

Qualifications – Desires

• A record of technical achievement, as evidenced by first‑author publications in scientific journals.

About Our Team

The III‑V Optoelectronics Department develops compound semiconductor and RF devices, photonics, and microsystems for national security applications including high‑performance computing, communications, renewable energy, sensing and imaging. As part of Sandia's Microsystems Science, Technology and Components Center, we research, design, fabricate, prototype, test and deliver novel RF and photonics devices, including lasers, photonic integrated circuits, and sensors. We focus on R&D of high performance technology platforms and customized microsystems. We leverage state‑of‑the‑art materials and fabrication capabilities within the Microsystems Engineering Sciences and Applications (MESA) cleanroom complex to serve a broad mix of internal and external customers. Core capabilities include: Optical, optoelectronic and electronic modeling and simulation, Epitaxial design, materials growth (MOCVD/MBE) and materials characterization, Design, microfabrication and testing of III‑V photonic devices, RF devices and photonic integrated circuits, Heterogeneous microsystem integration and prototyping, High‑speed and harsh‑environment optoelectronics, and device reliability.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre‑employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE L‑level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on‑site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

• Affordable housing, reasonable cost of living
• Minimal traffic congestion compared to larger cities
• At Sandia, recruiters manually review resumes on each job posting instead of using a resume screening software program
• By following the best practices outlined, this ensures that recruiters can accurately determine your qualifications for the position