Postdoctoral Associate

MIT • Cambridge, MA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE, Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC), to join the Schmidt Laboratory for Materials in Nuclear Technologies (LMNT) for research in applied nuclear physics. LMNT irradiates bulk material specimens with intense beams of 30 MeV protons to emulate radiation damage in materials used in fission, fusion, and high energy physics. This one-year appointment is intended to be renewable based on performance.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Experimental Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Science and Engineering, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience in nuclear cross-section measurements
• Expertise in experimental systems, including particle accelerators, radiation detectors, and data acquisition systems
• Expertise in modeling and simulation tools such as Geant4, PHITS, and MCNP
• Proficiency with nuclear data processing and evaluation tools (e.g., NJOY, PREPRO)
• Proficiency in cross-section generation
• Proficiency in nuclear data library development
• Solid record of publications and presentations
• Excellent scientific communication skills
• Intellectual curiosity
• Collaborative approach to solving complex technical challenges

Nice To Haves

• Experience with nuclear inventory and reaction modeling codes (e.g., FISPACT-II, TALYS)
• Experience with cross-section evaluations
• Programming in Python and C++

Responsibilities

• Experiment design for neutron- and proton-induced nuclear cross section measurement
• Generation of nuclear cross sections
• Production of nuclear data libraries suitable for use in computational modeling
• Use of radiation detectors and modeling tools to support material irradiation
• Contribute to developing a novel database for fusion materials performance towards a fusion pilot plant

What This Job Offers

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