Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

University of Southern California; California; On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southern California seeks a postdoctoral researcher to lead validation experiments and bridge theory with experiment in a spintronics program. You will co-author publications, contribute to patents, and interact with senior faculty across USC-ISI and partner institutions.

The role offers access to USC-ISI cleanroom facilities, with a 18-month initial appointment renewable up to 36 months, based on performance and funding.

Qualifications

• PhD awarded or imminent in physics, electrical engineering, materials science, or related field.
• Demonstrated competence in both a computational technique (NEGF/DFT/micromagnetics/spin dynamics) and an experimental technique (fabrication, transport, FMR, or characterization).
• Strong publication record.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead validation experiments within the program, at major decision gates.
• Co-author theory and experimental publications and contribute to patent portfolio.
• Collaborate across theory and experiment in a multi-PI team.

Skills

NEGF

DFT

micromagnetics

atomistic spin dynamics

device fabrication

theory-experiment bridge

Education

PhD in Physics or related field

Tools

MATLAB

Python stack

Job description

Responsibilities

Theory

• Quantum transport modeling using NEGF; first-principles materials and interface calculations using DFT (VASP, Quantum ESPRESSO, or equivalent).
• Atomistic spin dynamics or micromagnetic simulation (e.g., Vampire, OOMMF, MuMax3); extraction of compact device models from first-principles results.

Experiment

• End-to-end device fabrication: e-beam lithography, metallization, lift-off, thin-film deposition, and etch.
• Integration of heterogeneous material stacks supplied by collaborators into working device structures.
• Electrical and magnetic characterization, including cryogenic transport, FMR, and high-frequency lock-in measurements.

Program role

• Design and lead validation experiments at the major program decision gates, co-author theory and experimental publications, and contribute to the patent portfolio.

Qualifications

Required

• PhD (awarded or imminent) in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Demonstrated competence in both a computational technique (NEGF, DFT, micromagnetics, atomistic spin dynamics, or equivalent) and an experimental technique (device fabrication, transport, FMR, magneto-optics, or thin-film characterization).
• Strong publication record.

Preferred

• Prior experience with spintronic materials or beyond-CMOS device platforms.
• Familiarity with MATLAB or the Python scientific stack.
• Prior involvement in multi-PI collaborations or government-funded programs.

What the Program Offers

Competitive salary commensurate with experience (USC postdoc / USC-ISI graduate research assistant scales). Access to USC-ISI cleanroom facilities, the broader USC research ecosystem, and fabrication routing through the CA DREAMS Microelectronics Commons Hub. Direct involvement in a high-visibility DARPA program with clear paths to first-author publications and a position in a growing patent portfolio. The successful candidate will interact regularly with senior faculty at partner institutions. Detailed technical scope will be discussed during the interview. The initial appointment is for 18 months, renewable for up to 36 months subject to performance and program funding.

The Application Specific Intelligent Computing Lab at the USC Information Sciences Institute (USC-ISI) is recruiting to join a beyond-CMOS spintronics program — a 36-month, multi-institution DARPA-funded effort to develop a three-terminal beyond-CMOS digital logic switch based on spintronic elements. The successful candidate will take technical leadership on device physics and device integration, working across theory and experiment within a multi-PI team spanning USC-ISI and partner institutions.