Staff Scientist - Nanofabrication Facility

Staff Scientist - Nanofabrication Facility

The Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL) is seeking to hire a Staff Scientist in the Nanofabrication Facility. This individual is expected to develop and lead a research program in quantum phenomena focused on fundamental understanding and materials targeting breakthroughs in coherence and scalability for quantum computing and quantum sensing. Candidates at every level of experience, ranging from early-career (career track) to experienced staff scientist, are encouraged to apply.

This is an opportunity to join a vibrant research community dedicated to excellent science and international collaboration.

The Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL) is a national user center for nanoscale science – one of five Department of Energy Nanoscale Science Research Centers. A multidisciplinary research center at the forefront of nanoscale science, the Molecular Foundry is a knowledge-based user facility that provides state-of-the-art expertise and instrumentation to a diverse, international community, drawing users from academia, national labs and industry.

Here, you will be able to establish a leading research program taking advantage of our collaborative, interdisciplinary center.

The Staff Scientist position at the Molecular Foundry is a full-time principal investigator position with a working model based on equal division (50%/50%) of effort between user support and independent, world-class research. Beyond your own scientific research, you will support the research of a diverse and collaborative user community, who access the Molecular Foundry via a peer‑reviewed proposal process. Your unique research portfolio will attract and expand the Molecular Foundry user community and complement the environment of ongoing multidisciplinary research across LBNL.

This position is open to both career-track and career applications and the level at which the candidate will be hired is based on the experience and accomplishments.

• Design and lead a robust individual research program related to the Molecular Foundry’s research theme around materials for quantum science. This individual is expected to develop and lead a program on fundamental understanding of quantum phenomena in materials targeting breakthroughs in coherence and scalability in quantum computing and sensing.
• Develop a thriving multidisciplinary user program, drawing from industry, academia, and national labs, through the development of unique expertise and capabilities. Provide users with support through your own efforts, hands‑on and with your expert knowledge, in the area of nanofabrication.
• Manage research efforts surrounding the characterization and measurement of superconducting devices using our low‑temperature and high magnetic field physical property measurement system, as well as our ultra‑low temperature dilution refrigerator measurement tools.
• Use our newly commissioned quantum information science cluster deposition system and low temperature materials characterization capabilities to develop world class novel superconductor fabrication processes for next‑generation superconducting quantum devices.
• Integrate results from our materials deposition systems into unified data architectures enabling automatic characterization of superconducting thin films during growth.
• Combine the in‑process data, room temperature materials characterization, and low temperature material and device performance into fundamental datasets to enable machine learning models capable of predicting the key materials properties and process parameters for highly performant superconducting materials and device designs.
• Collaborate with other Foundry scientific staff members to provide scientific support for users and create and participate in collaborative research efforts beyond the single laboratory effort.
• Prepare scientific data for publication in refereed journals; and present findings at seminars and conferences.
• Supervise, mentor, and coach scientific and technical staff as appropriate.
• Provide technical direction to graduate students, postdocs, and research associates as…