Quantum Materials Postdoc: Thin-Film Growth & Characterization

Montana State University; Bozeman (MT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leading-edge facilities access

Interdisciplinary environment

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Montana State University’s QCORE invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance molecular beam epitaxy and thin-film characterization for quantum applications. You will work with superconducting, magnetic, and dielectric films and heterostructures, leveraging MSU’s MBE and cryogenic facilities within a dynamic, multidisciplinary team.

The successful candidate will collaborate with faculty and graduate students to drive materials discovery, publish results, and contribute to grant

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, or a closely related field by start date.
• Hands-on experience with thin film synthesis (MBE, PLD, sputtering, CVD, or ALD).
• Experience with materials characterization techniques such as XRD, AFM, SEM, TEM, XPS, or similar.
• Strong record of scientific productivity, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and/or conference presentations.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and execute thin film growth experiments using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
• Characterize film structure, morphology, chemistry, and properties using XRD, AFM, SEM, TEM, XPS, etc.
• Correlate deposition parameters with structure and material properties affecting quantum performance.
• Maintain and optimize deposition/characterization equipment and troubleshoot issues.
• Analyze data and maintain detailed records for reproducible research.
• Collaborate with device fabrication and quantum measurement teams to translate materials advances into devices.
• Mentor and guide graduate/undergraduate students in the lab.
• Prepare manuscripts and present findings at meetings and conferences.
• Assist with progress reports and grant proposals as needed.
• Contribute to a safe and collaborative lab environment with proper safety protocols.

Skills

PhD

Thin film synthesis

Materials characterization

Scientific publications

Education

PhD in related field

Tools

XRD

AFM

SEM

TEM

XPS

Job description

Montana State University’s QCORE invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance molecular beam epitaxy and thin-film characterization for quantum applications. You will work with superconducting, magnetic, and dielectric films and heterostructures, leveraging MSU’s MBE and cryogenic facilities within a dynamic, multidisciplinary team.

The successful candidate will collaborate with faculty and graduate students to drive materials discovery, publish results, and contribute to grant