There is an opening for a postdoc position in ultrafast dynamics at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California. Please see below for the job description. Link to apply and more information can be found at: https://sandia.jobs/livermore-ca/postdoctoral-appointee-in-ultrafast-vibrational-dynamics/B676377900D349108AA0EDAC1FAEF52F/job/.
For questions, please contact Dr. Krupa Ramasesha at kramase@sandia.gov.
Job Description:
Job title: Postdoctoral Appointee
Anticipated starting annual salary: $104,900 + benefits
Location: Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA
Full-time, Temporary
We are seeking a motivated postdoctoral experimentalist to work on ultrafast dynamics projects. One project focuses on vibrational energy transfer in solid-state energetic materials under the influence of static pressure loading in a diamond anvil cell, using ultrafast broadband infrared spectroscopy. Another project entails investigation of complex excited state electronic and structural dynamics governing processes such as photodissociation, conformational change, and charge transfer in gas-phase molecules using ultrafast soft X-ray spectroscopy, ultrafast infrared spectroscopy, and ultrafast electron diffraction. The research will involve close collaborations with theorists, materials scientists, and other scientists and engineers.
On any given day, you may be called on to:
- Operate ultrafast high-power laser systems and build optical set ups
- Perform ultrafast core-level spectroscopy using a high-harmonic generation source of femtosecond soft X-ray pulses
- Perform ultrafast broadband infrared spectroscopy of energetic materials in a diamond anvil cell using a plasma-based source of supercontinuum infrared pulses
- Analyze and interpret experimental results in collaboration with theorists and other experimentalists and document findings in peer-reviewed publications
The postdoc will publish research in peer-reviewed scientific journals and present at national and international conferences. This position provides the opportunity to develop strong expertise in electronic and vibrational dynamics and spectroscopy, and to build technical skills in ultrafast lasers, optics, and vacuum systems.
Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite at the Sandia Livermore location.
This position requires access to export-controlled or ITAR information. For this reason, only U.S. persons (citizens, lawful permanent residents, asylees or refugees) are eligible for consideration.
Qualifications We Require:
- Ph.D. in chemistry, physics, materials science, or other relevant field
- Experience with femtosecond amplified laser systems, nonlinear optics, and instrumentation
Qualifications We Desire:
- Strong background in vibrational dynamics and/or electronic dynamics
- Experience with ultrafast infrared spectroscopy and/or ultrafast core-level spectroscopy
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to write peer-reviewed publications, evidenced by a strong publication record
- Demonstrated ability to address complex problems creatively, and to work effectively both independently and in a team
- Experience with MATLAB, LabVIEW, Python, and related software
About the Team:
The Gas Phase Chemical Physics Department is part of Sandia’s Combustion Research Facility (CRF) in Livermore, California, where over 100 scientists, engineers, and technologists conduct basic and applied research to improve our nation’s capabilities in gas-phase chemical physics. Under the principal sponsorship of the Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the Gas Phase Chemical Physics Department conducts fundamental experimental, theoretical, and modeling research to develop a foundational understanding of the complex chemical reactions that occur either directly in the gas phase or influenced by it. Research areas include chemical dynamics and spectroscopy, advanced diagnostics, ultrafast physics and chemistry, chemical kinetics, multi-phase chemical physics, high-pressure combustion, and gas-surface interactions.
GEFAM 