Postdoctoral Appointee – Plasma, Physics & Radiation Transport, Radiation Effect

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*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

We seek a motivated Postdoctoral Appointee to conduct innovative research on electromagnetic and plasma responses to radiation. In this position, your work will range from theory to experimentation in partnership with an experienced team. The theoretical analysis involves partnering with teams to run large parallel codes or developing reduced dimensionality models to predict, to isolate in experiment a wide variety of physics processes that impact electromagnetic/plasma responses to ionizing radiation. The experimental element of the work involves conceptualizing, designing, executing, and analyzing experiments at globally unique radiation producing facilities including but not limited to Sandia’s Saturn Accelerator and Z-machine as well as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility (NIF).

You will work in a collaborative environment with a complementary team and have access to some of the world’s most powerful facilities, tools, and expertise to evaluate electrical consequences of exposure to high-energy density radiation environments.

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

• Perform experiments or simulations to investigate effects of x-rays on gases and solids.Team with other specialists, including those performing radiation experiments at world-leading radiation facilities, designing experiments, and analyzing results.
• Document findings in internal reports and, as appropriate, publish results as articles in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences.
• Clearly communicate new insights or observations to internal and external stakeholders, customers, and our collaborators.Some travel will be required for activities such as performing experiments and attending project meetings and conferences.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected candidate must be able to work onsite.

• PhD degree in Physics, Engineering, Material Sciences, or a closely related field
• Knowledge of electromagnetics, plasma physics, or radiation transport as demonstrated by your graduate curriculum.
• A strong track record of scientific and/or technical achievements through publication, as evidenced by peer-reviewed journals and external presentations at appropriate scientific conferences.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q clearance

• Strong analytical skills and experience comparing measurement with physical theories using Python or a similar scripting language.
• Knowledge of radiation material interactions, particularly x-rays.
• Experience with laboratory measurement in plasma physics or electromagnetics, leading to publication.
• Experience with radiation testing devices or materials.
• Experience modeling radiation effects in materials using simulation tools.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams.

The Radiation Effects Experimentation and Analysis Department is committed to ensuring the operational capability of the nation’s nuclear stockpile in radiation and electromagnetic environments. Our work spans a diverse range of activities, from fundamental radiation effects research to the qualification of electronic components, subsystems, and systems against both natural and man-made radiation environments, including those produced by nuclear detonations. We accomplish our mission by conducting both basic and applied radiation effects research on materials, electronics, and surrogate test objects. This includes rigorous testing and evaluation using advanced photon, ion, neutron, electron, and laser sources located at Sandia National Laboratories and other facilities across the United States. In addition to experimental work, we develop critical radiation, electrical, and plasma diagnostics to accurately characterize our test environments. We also perform simulations to analyze how electronics and other test objects respond to radiation. A key focus of our department is the design, measurement, analysis, and simulation of response data from surrogate test articles. This work is crucial for validating Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) computer codes, which are utilized to qualify weapon and satellite electronic systems against various pulsed radiation environments and effects. Additionally, our personnel provide expert guidance to electronic designers, ensuring the implementation of effective design techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of radiation. We also conduct qualification assessments of nuclear weapon hardware for each of Sandia’s production groups, reinforcing our commitment to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the nation’s nuclear capabilities.

This posting will be open for Application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are also a citizen of the United States.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. 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.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

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.

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.