Postdoctoral Appointee - Ultrafast Chemical Physics, Onsite

About Sandia

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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..gov

* These benefits vary by job classification.

We seek a postdoctoral appointee to work in the Ultrafast Physics and Nonlinear Optical Diagnostics laboratory of Sandia's Gas Phase Chemical Physics Program, primarily working with PI Christopher Kliewer. In the near‑term, planned work will have a heavy focus on the development of ultrafast rotational molecular control methodologies, including the operation of an optical centrifuge and pulse shaping approaches to tailor an optical molecular trap for use in chemical dynamics studies.

The general theme of ongoing work in this position will be the fundamental study of both molecular control and measurement through the development of ultrafast optical diagnostic approaches to study gas phase chemical reactions. We seek applicants with experience in ultrafast nonlinear optical spectroscopy approaches and the ability to develop related spectral simulation codes for the assessment of experimental data.

On any given day, you may:

• Collaborate with researchers on customization of ultrafast, chirped pulse optical experiments utilizing state‑of‑the‑art Coherent Anti‑Stokes Raman Spectroscopy
• Analyze experimental results of the light‑matter interaction within classical and quantum mechanical frameworks
• Operate and optimize a velocity map imaging spectrometer for state‑resolved energy and angular momentum analysis of photodissociation of high‑J molecules

You will be expected to partner with a multi‑investigator team, present results at national/international meetings, and publish research in high profile peer‑reviewed journals.

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

• PhD degree in physics, chemistry, engineering or a closely related discipline
• Significant experience with ultrafast nonlinear spectroscopy

• Solid background in nonlinear optics, instrumentation, ultrafast lasers, and electronics
• Solid background chemical reaction dynamics and kinetics
• Ability to address complex problems creatively, and to work effectively both independently and in collaboration with other researchers.
• Strong record of publications in peer‑reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences
• Experience with LabVIEW, MATLAB, SIMION, and 3D CAD

The Gas‑Phase Chemical Physics Department is part of Sandia's Combustion Research Facility (CRF) in Livermore, California, where over 100 scientists, engineers, and technologists conduct basic and applied research to improve our nation's ability to use and control chemical processes efficiently and cleanly. Under the principal sponsorship of the Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the Gas‑Phase Chemical Physics Department conducts fundamental experimental, theoretical, and modeling research to develop a foundational understanding of the key chemical processes that underlie the complex mechanisms of chemical transformations.

Research areas include chemical dynamics, ultrafast chemical physics, theoretical and experimental chemical kinetics, and gas‑phase and particulate…