Postdoctoral Research Associate - Neutrino Research

Requisition Id 7831

Overview:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Neutrino Research Group in the Physics Division, Physical Sciences Directorate (PSD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

As part of our research team, you will play an active role in the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of Ge-76, and help lead the R&D, design, and implementation of the LEGEND (Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay) program. The group is developing new detector designs and analysis methods for the LEGEND program, which includes testing and characterizing detectors for the near-term LEGEND-200 experiment.

The group is also pursuing a broad research program of neutrino interactions extending across the fields of nuclear, particle, and astrophysics. You will also have an opportunity to play a leading role in the PROSPECT-II reactor neutrino experiment and the COHERENT elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering experiment. The group resides within the ORNL Physics Division, where additional research programs in fundamental symmetries and nuclear physics thrive. The successful candidate will work closely with a range of students, other postdoctoral fellows, scientific and engineering staff, visiting scholars, as well as a large network of international collaborators. Further, ORNL supports an active postdoctoral program, which provides research support, professional development, and social activities.

The group is also pursuing a research program in R&D on advanced instrumentation for high energy physics experiments. You will also have an opportunity to play a leading role in the ongoing R&D efforts in the development of novel photon sensors, 3D printing of low-background and/or scintillating materials, and pixelated readouts kiloton-scale liquid argon detectors. The successful candidate will work closely with a range of students, other postdoctoral fellows, scientific and engineering staff, visiting scholars, as well as national and international collaborators. Further, ORNL supports an active postdoctoral program, which provides research support, professional development, and social activities

Major Duties/Responsibilities:

• Assume a leading role in one of three efforts in LEGEND, COHERENT, or PROSPECT-II
• Contribute to the evaluation and characterization of Ge detectors to be used in LEGEND
• Contribute to the R&D on advanced instrumentation and the design of the next generation LEGEND-1000 experiment.

Basic Qualifications:

• A Ph.D. degree in experimental nuclear physics, particle physics, or a closely related field obtained within the last five years

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hardware and data analysis/simulations experience relevant to rare event searches
• Demonstrated experience with low-background detectors, cryogenic liquid scintillators, and/or Ge detector technology
• Advanced computer programming experience, including C/C++ and python
• Experience working in underground laboratories and clean rooms
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to actively engage with international collaborators

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

Moving can be overwhelming and expensive. UT-Battelle offers a generous relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions. If invited to interview, be sure to ask your Recruiter (Talent Acquisition Partner) for details.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at jobs.ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply. UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.