Postdoctoral Associate or Research Associate

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Job Summary

The proposed work is a joint collaboration between the Faint Photonics group within the Applied Physics Division and the Ion Storage Group within the Time and Frequency Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, CO, USA. Primary duties consist of analyzing and improving the performance of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) at visible and UV wavelengths for the purpose of generating distributed entanglement between remote ions.

This task involves both nanofabrication in a specialized "cleanroom" facility, as well as device testing and characterization in an optics setup. The research requires the development of novel materials and SNSPD device designs to combine multiple performance metrics into single devices such as system efficiency, maximum count rate, polarization dependence, and dark count rate at wavelengths relevant to entanglement generation.

Contribution to various international partnerships and collaborations involving SNSPDs, both academic and commercial, will also be required.

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas.

Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

PREP is a special partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder. PREP provides research opportunities to CU undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers with a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in NIST labs to gain research experience alongside NIST scientists.

The particular group that needs a researcher is the Faint Photonics Group at NIST.

What Your

Key Responsibilities Will Be

* Design and fabricate new SNSPD architectures to achieve 90% efficiency at visible and UV wavelengths.

* Test SNSPD devices using cryogenic systems and contribute to maintenance and operation of those systems.

* Contribute to domestic and international collaborations with groups working on SNSPDs, both academic and commercial.

* Develop optical testing setups for measuring system detection efficiency at the relevant visible and UV wavelengths.

* Support experiments within the Ion Storage Group.

* Publish results in peer-reviewed journals.

* Present results at conferences.

What You Should Know

This position requires the successful completion of an NAIS agreement and federal security clearance as mandated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Employment is contingent upon approval of these requirements as determined by NIST.

* Anticipated start date is September 15, 2026.

* Anticipated end date is March 31, 2028.

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor's degree holders, graduate students, master's degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry,…