Postdoctoral Researcher in Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology

What You Will Do

The T-2 group (Nuclear and Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology) in the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory invites applications for two-year postdoctoral positions in nuclear theory to begin in Fall 2026. Candidates are expected to have a Ph.D. in nuclear theory or a closely related field by the beginning of the postdoctoral appointment, obtained no earlier than 5 years before the relevant due date below (i.e. Oct or Dec 2019).

We conduct research on a broad set of topics, including effective theories of strong and weak interactions, heavy-ion physics and physics of the quark-gluon plasma, low-energy phenomenology within and beyond the Standard Model, neutrino physics and astrophysics, nuclear astrophysics, nuclear structure, perturbative QCD, and quantum few- and many-body systems, and quantum computing. Candidates in all these areas are strongly encouraged to apply.

Scientists in the group working in these areas include Joe Carlson, Stefano Gandolfi, Christopher Lee, Emanuele Mereghetti, Duff Neill, Ingo Tews, and Ivan Vitev. We collaborate actively with our colleagues in high-energy theory and applied nuclear theory in T-2 and have close ties with our colleagues in astrophysics, cosmology, condensed matter/quantum information and experimental physics.

LANL offers Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships (Curie, Feynman, Hoffman, Oppenheimer) and Director’s funded postdoc positions through a lab-wide competitive selection process. Exceptionally well qualified candidates that wish to be considered for these Postdoctoral Fellowships must have all application materials submitted by Monday, September 1, 2025. Applications for regular group postdoc positions should be submitted by Friday, December 7, 2025, for full consideration.

Minimum

Job Requirements:

• Record of peer-reviewed publications in above or related research areas.
• Experience in a scientific research collaboration.
• Experience giving scientific talks in professional environments.

Education/

Experience:

PhD in theoretical nuclear/particle physics or closely related field obtained before the start of the postdoc appointment.

Work Location:

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Salary:
Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $97,000.00 and increases with years of experience post PhD. For more information on salary and benefits, please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-research

Note to Applicants: A complete application package will consist of a CV, research statement, a list of publications, and three letters of recommendation.

For more information please contact:
Ingo Tews: itews

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and vision insurance
• Free basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
• Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. This requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

No Clearance:
Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.

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