Postdoc Researcher

Universities Space Research Association • Huntsville, AL

22h • Onsite

About The Position

USRA and the Science and Technology Institute are seeking a full-time, Postdoc Researcher to work in our Huntsville Al office. The Postdoc Researcher will lead the advancement of the Enhanced Vertical Long Trace Profiler (eVLTP) to support NASA MSFC’s goal of advancing replicated X-ray optics to sub-arc-second angular resolutions. This position is supported by a recently selected 3-year award from the NASA Astrophysics Research and Analysis (APRA) Program and is based at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The VLTP is the only instrument in the world in its vertical long-trace configuration, specifically designed to measure slope and figure errors of grazing-incidence X-ray mirrors with extremely high accuracy over meter-class apertures. The successful candidate will play a central role in developing and advancing the eVLTP to support the development and validation of next generation grazing incidence optics for NASA X-ray missions.

This position offers a rare opportunity to play a leading role in advancing a one-of-a-kind optical metrology instrument that supports NASA’s next flagship X-ray observatory. The successful candidate will have significant technical ownership, opportunities for scientific leadership, and the ability to make lasting contributions to the development of next-generation spaceflight optics.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with precision optical instrumentation or metrology.
• Strong experimental laboratory skills.
• Programming experience in LabView, MATLAB, Python, or similar scientific environments.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on complex technical projects.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with slope profilers, interferometers, or long trace profilers.
• Experience with grazing-incidence, X-ray, or optics.
• Knowledge of optical alignment and optomechanical system design.
• Experience identifying and mitigating systematic measurement errors.
• Experience developing scientific instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of enhancements to the VLTP to improve slope accuracy and repeatability.
• Identify, model, and mitigate systematic error sources.
• Design and integrate improved optical, optomechanical, and environmental control systems.
• Develop advanced calibration techniques and establish quantitative error budgets.
• Develop and maintain software for instrument control, data acquisition, and analysis.
• Implement algorithms for slope extraction and surface figure reconstruction.
• Model instrument performance and guide design improvements.
• Perform high-accuracy slope measurements of grazing-incidence X-ray mirrors.
• Develop improved measurement methodologies to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and robustness.
• Support fabrication, process development, and validation of optics for future NASA missions.
• Support milestones and deliverables for the NASA APRA-funded project.
• Publishing results in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences.
• Collaborate with NASA engineers, scientists, and academic partners.
• Contribute to the long-term development of world-leading X-ray optics metrology capabilities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree