Postdoctoral Appointee - Phenomenology and Signatures, Onsite

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:

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• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

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*These benefits vary by job classification.

We are seeking a post-doctoral appointee to support technical research in areas of physics, atmospheric science, and engineering. This job involves working with a multi-disciplinary team of Sandia staff to support multiple defense and nuclear nonproliferation mission activities. Specific research areas include radiation hydrodynamics in extreme environments, optical emission modeling, supporting optical sensor concept design and development, and related modeling and analysis efforts. The successful candidate will have demonstrated strong analytical skillset for interpreting and presenting collected data. Experience with computational modeling, high performance systems, and signal processing / analysis of large data sets is a plus.

• Integrate into an established team to perform research and development focused on customer mission requirements from phenomenological understanding to sensor/modeling concept development, design, and analysis in support of these missions
• Work on various systems by performing end-to-end simulations for the evaluation of sensor utility and supporting future sensor designs
• Document results in high-quality presentations and reports
• Present results to collaborators succinctly and effectively
• Develop, verify and validate physics-based computational models
• Apply models and codes to customer-specific problems

Due to the nature of work, successful candidate must be able to work onsite.

• PhD conferred within 3 years of employment, in physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or a related field
• Ability to attain and maintain a DOE Q Clearance

• Excellent communication skills as evidenced by publication in peer-reviewed journals
• Experience in analysis of complex coupled physics processes such as radiation hydrodynamics, explosive sciences, turbulence, computational fluid dynamics, plasma physics, astrophysics
• Familiarity in hydrodynamics, radiative transport, optical transmission, or atmospheric simulation codes
• Experience with modeling and simulation, data analysis, and coding languages such as Python, R, C++, MATLAB, etc.
• Proven ability to perform independent research, as well as to work effectively in a team in various roles (leader and group member)
• Excellent communications skills with experience in giving presentations, constructively interacting with co-workers, and preparing high-quality presentations and reports
  

We serve national defense and nonproliferation customers with theoretical and computational research of nuclear detonation effects and signatures. We develop first-principles models to underpin a deep physics-based understanding of the development of fireballs and their optical signatures in a variety of circumstances. Department expertise includes radiation transport, hydrodynamics, material behavior and interactions in extreme environments, and code development for high performance computing.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.