Postdoctoral Associate/Research Scientist - Physics

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

71d

About The Position

The Virginia Tech Physics Department invites applications for one postdoctoral associate/research scientist to work with Dr. Vsevolod Ivanov and Dr. Patrick Huber on the Quantum Sensing of Neutrinos (QuSen) project sponsored by DARPA. The successful candidate will conduct research in the areas of computational physics with the goal to develop a framework for understanding excess energy from defect formation in neutrino detectors. Duties may include supervising and coordinating the work of other researchers and personnel, including graduate and undergraduate students, as well as developing future efforts. The successful candidate will be based in Blacksburg, VA, but may be required to travel for conference presentations and international collaboration. Successful candidates at the Research Scientist level will have additional responsibilities with mentoring junior group members, as well as assisting the PIs with grant proposals. The successful candidate will be expected to interact with the broader quantum community at Virginia Tech, which includes the Center for Neutrino Physics, the Virginia Tech Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering (vtq.vt.edu), the Center of Quantum Architecture and Software Development within the VT Innovation Campus, as well as the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), of which Virginia Tech is a member.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in physics, material science, or a related field.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Advanced knowledge of the principles of physics.
• Advanced knowledge of methods and techniques used for research in computational condensed matter physics.
• Demonstrated experience with first-principles simulation codes such as VASP, Quantum Espresso, Wien2k or others.
• Demonstrated experience with phonon and exciton calculations and related properties.
• Previous postdoctoral research experience (for Research Scientist candidates).

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated knowledge of simulating solid state defects, including formation processes with nudged elastic band, molecular dynamics, or related methods.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research in computational physics related to neutrino detectors.
• Develop a framework for understanding excess energy from defect formation.
• Supervise and coordinate the work of other researchers and personnel.
• Mentor junior group members (for Research Scientist level).
• Assist PIs with grant proposals.
• Interact with the broader quantum community at Virginia Tech.

Benefits

• Professional development opportunities.
• Inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity.

What This Job Offers

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