Postdoctoral Appointee - Photonic Integrated Systems, Onsite

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We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to advance automated test and characterization capabilities for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) designed for quantum systems and photonic sensors. This role will focus on the development of software, instrumentation interfaces, and experimental workflows for an automated probe station used to evaluate integrated photonic devices.

The successful candidate will design and implement code for hardware control, measurement automation, data acquisition, and analysis. In addition, this position will emphasize the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches into the testing workflow, with the goal of enabling adaptive, agentic measurement protocols that can make informed decisions during device characterization, optimize test execution, and improve throughput and insight generation.

Research activities may also include device design and modeling, mask layout, characterization, and development of new photonic‑based architectures. In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead research efforts and publications while working closely with a multidisciplinary team of physicists, materials scientists, and engineers.

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

• Design and implement code for autoprober hardware control
• Develop and implement agentic measurement protocols on the autoprober
• Run the automated probe station and analyze results
• Design photonic integrated circuits and oversee related fabrication
• Characterize photonic integrated circuits in our piezo‑optomechanical platform
• Communicate research results through publications and conferences
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including experimentalists and theorists

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite. Relocation will be provided for those that qualify.

• Ph.D., conferred within 5 years prior to employment in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE L clearance

• A record of technical achievement, as evidenced by first‑author publications in scientific journals.

The III‑V Optoelectronics Department develops compound semiconductor and RF devices, photonics, and microsystems for national security applications including high‑performance computing, communications, renewable energy, sensing and imaging. As part of Sandia’s Microsystems Science, Technology and Components Center, we research, design, fabricate, prototype, test and deliver novel RF and photonics devices, including lasers, photonic integrated circuits, and sensors. We focus on R&D of high‑performance technology platforms and customized microsystems.

We leverage state‑of‑the‑art materials and fabrication capabilities within the Microsystems Engineering Sciences and Applications (MESA) cleanroom complex to serve a broad mix of internal and external customers. Core capabilities include optical, optoelectronic and electronic modeling and simulation; epitaxial…