Postdoctoral Associate

Stony Brook University • Stony Brook, NY

1d

About The Position

The primary purpose of this position is to conduct experimental research investigating the physics of laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA), with a particular focus on studies in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) laser regime. Experiments will be carried out at the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), using the multi-terawatt CO₂ laser as the LWFA driver in combination with Ti:sapphire lasers and >50 MeV ATF LINAC–produced electron beams. Specific experimental thrusts include electron probing of plasma fields, external injection into laser-driven wakes, and characterization of transverse instabilities. These experiments exploit the unique opportunities enabled by long-wavelength drivers, which allow petawatt-class LWFA interactions to be accessed at substantially lower laser intensities.
Although primarily experimental, experience with numerical modeling of laser–plasma interactions and/or beam propagation using particle-in-cell (PIC) or related simulation codes would be a strong asset. This research will be performed in collaboration with Prof. Vafaei-Najafabadi and Prof. Litvinenko (as the PIs) as well as external collaborators, in particular Brookhaven National Laboratory and UT Austin. The holder of the position would also participate in the supervision of students on this research project. The successful incumbent will work effectively in a team environment with other physicists and engineers.
The incumbent will conduct research and ensure that all experiments are appropriately conducted following the policies and procedures of Stony Brook University.

Requirements

• PhD in physics, electrical engineering, or a closely related field (or foreign equivalent).
• Operational experience with common experimental and diagnostic tools used in typical laser or accelerator experiments, including at least two of the following: designing and implementing optical layout for laser experiments, characterizing magnets, characterizing plasma targets, setting up and operating optical diagnostics, such as spectrometers and interferometers.
• Scientific productivity as demonstrated by contributions to previous research projects and publications.

Nice To Haves

• PhD in plasma physics or accelerator physics.
• Extensive experience (>3 years) of conducting hands-on experiments in a high-power laser or particle accelerator lab.
• Extensive experience (>3 years) conducting research that requires the combined capabilities of a high-intensity laser pulse and a conventional particle accelerator.
• Experience conducting research related to laser-driven or beam-driven plasma accelerators.
• Experience with beamline simulation and beam-dynamics codes such as ImpactX, GPT, or similar.
• Experience with common PIC codes used in LWFA research such as OSIRIS, FBPIC, or similar.

Responsibilities

• Design experimental layout and diagnostics required to conduct laser wakefield acceleration experiments at ATF. This includes bench-top characterization of magnets and optical diagnostics.
• Implement experimental components and conduct the experiment. This task includes data taking, analysis, and interpretation of data based on theory and simulations.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in the research group.
• Present results of research at conferences and workshops.
• Assist PI with preparation and submission of papers and applications for external research funding, progress reports to sponsors, and publications. Develop experimental ideas based on mathematical models or simulations which allow to perform novel experiments.
• Other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

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