Postdoctoral Appointee - Z Pulsed Power Research

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The Pulsed Power Science and Technology group is seeking postdoctoral researchers with expertise in pulsed power, experimental physics, and electrical engineering to support cutting‑edge research on pulsed power systems and components. The successful candidate will contribute to one or more projects focused on understanding high voltage breakdown in water and gases, improving vacuum insulator performance, developing compact laser‑triggered gas switches, and designing and evaluating advanced, higher reliability spark gap switches for Marx generators.

Your research will involve designing, conducting, and analyzing experiments to probe physical phenomena underlying pulsed power component operation and failure modes, along with implementing practical solutions that apply this research to advanced pulsed power systems. You will collaborate closely with internal teams and external partners, including universities and industry, to push the boundaries of pulsed power technology.

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

Design and execute experiments related to electrical breakdown and switch performance.

Develop new electrical and optical diagnostics or improvements of existing diagnostic systems and analyze collected data to understand underlying physical mechanisms.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to increase experimental capability of pulsed power facilities.

Employ the scientific method to develop, test, and refine hypotheses; perform critical review; or apply similar engineering research and development methods.

Publish your findings and interact with the academic community.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant will be required to work onsite.

Applicants on this requisition may be interviewed by multiple organizations at Sandia National Laboratories.

PhD in electrical engineering, physics, or related STEM field conferred within 5 years of start date

Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Outstanding verbal and written skills, demonstrated through presentation at technical conferences and publications in refereed journals.

Experience with design, operation, and maintenance of pulsed power experimental apparatuses.

Experience with design and data analysis of diagnostics used in pulsed power, high voltage, and/or high energy density plasma experiments.

Proficiency in a variety of computational tools and programs, including data analysis in MATLAB, Python, or similar; circuit simulations using PSpice, LTSpice, or similar; and electromagnetic field simulations using Ansys, Comsol, CST, or similar.

Ability to work independently and…