Postdoctoral Appointee - Free-Electron Lasers driven by Laser-Plasma Accelerators
About The Position
The Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory seeks a postdoctoral researcher to contribute to theoretical and numerical modeling of a compact X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) driven by an electron beam produced by a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA). The work is part of a collaboration with the BELLA Lab at Berkeley to model electron-beam transport and FEL radiation generation using LPA-produced beams. The researcher will collaborate closely with the BELLA experimental team to develop detailed simulations of beam transport and diagnostic measurements, with the goal of understanding and optimizing FEL performance. Simulation work will be paired with simplified theoretical models to clarify the physics and inform future plans for a compact facility that can produce intense X-rays for science. The postdoctoral appointee will work with a multidisciplinary team at Argonne, Berkeley Lab, UCLA, and ASU spanning accelerators, diagnostics, and radiation generation. The appointee will take a leading role in numerical and theoretical modeling of the LPA-driven FEL at Berkeley Lab. The position is a long-term fixed-term, full-time postdoctoral appointment. The expected hiring range is $72,879.00–$121,465.00. Comprehensive benefits are included as part of the total rewards package. Employment offers are contingent on a background check, and the position may require government access authorization.
Requirements
- PhD in accelerator physics or a closely related field, earned within the past 0–5 years; candidates with PhDs in physics, computational science, or related fields and an interest in accelerator physics and FELs will also be considered.
- Programming skills, including familiarity with the UNIX environment and scientific computing languages such as Python or C.
- Demonstrated background in computational modeling or numerical simulation for science.
- Ability to work within a multi-lab collaboration and with a wide range of scientific and engineering experts.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with established accelerator and FEL simulation tools.
- Experience with high-performance computing clusters for numerical modeling.
- Experience with laser-plasma accelerators, conventional accelerators, or X-ray generation.
Responsibilities
- Develop a detailed numerical model of the BELLA Lab experiment using accelerator-tracking and FEL codes such as ELEGANT, IMPACT, and GENESIS.
- Conduct beam-dynamics studies of the propagation and subsequent manipulation of high-brightness, ultra-short beams produced by LPAs.
- Develop techniques to optimize the LPA beam for FEL radiation generation, such as manipulating the longitudinal phase space and/or tailoring or tapering the undulator strength.
- Investigate applications at shorter X-ray wavelengths.
- Prepare technical notes to guide future studies of an LPA-based FEL facility.
- Write up research findings for peer-reviewed publication.
- Collaborate with the BELLA experimental team and multidisciplinary collaborators at Argonne, Berkeley Lab, UCLA, and ASU.
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits as part of the total rewards package.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
