Postdoctoral Research Associate in Materials Science for Quantum Information Applications

Brookhaven National Laboratory • Upton, NY

2d • $78,000 - $100,000

About The Position

Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program Brookhaven National Laboratory is a multipurpose research institution funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Located on the center of Long Island, New York, Brookhaven Lab brings world-class facilities and expertise to the most exciting and important questions in basic and applied science—from the birth of our universe to the sustainable energy technology of tomorrow. We operate cutting-edge large-scale facilities for studies in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, applied science, and a wide range of advanced technologies. The Laboratory's almost 3,000 scientists, engineers, and support staff are joined each year by more than 4,000 visiting researchers from around the world. Our award-winning history, including seven Nobel Prizes, stretches back to 1947, and we continue to unravel mysteries from the nanoscale to the cosmic scale, and everything in between. Brookhaven is operated and managed by Brookhaven Science Associates, which was founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, and Battelle, a nonprofit applied science and technology organization. ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW At BNL, the Energy & Photon Sciences (EPS) Directorate, as part of the multi-institute Co-design Centre for Quantum Advantage (C2QA) is working to accelerate the transformational advances in Quantum Information Science (QIS) that will create solutions for quantum-based technologies. Advances in QIS are the underpinning of transformational discoveries that rely on Brookhaven’s data-driven research, cutting-edge synchrotron science, and leadership in QIS, which has led to a 5-year renewal of the center (https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=122687 ). As part of the capabilities and science focus of the EPS, the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) is a state-of-the-art 3 GeV electron storage ring which operates as an international user facility. NSLS-II offers scientific and industrial researchers an array of instruments (beamlines) using x-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared light to enable discoveries across an array of scientific disciplines. This diversity lends itself well to the variety of important materials investigated by C2QA (BCS superconducting metals, diamond NV centers and other single atom technologies, and even Van der Waals materials). POSITION DESCRIPTION Working as a part of the Materials Thrust inside the Co-design Center for Quantum Advantage (C2QA), the successful applicant will undertake synchrotron-based experiments at NSLS-II to help in the characterization, design, and advancement of the materials used in Qubit fabrication. Qubits are highly prone to errors because of interactions with their environment and defects in the qubit materials —atoms, ions, photons, or electrons—themselves. The successful applicant will work with researchers at NSLS-II, CFN, and other partner institutions within C2QA to understand these microscopic interactions, by using synchrotron-based spectroscopy and diffraction techniques and correlating the chemical, electronic, and structural variations with Qubit efficiency and stability measurements. For example, see recently highlighted work https://www.energy.gov/science/bes/articles/revealing-buried-layers-exploring-metal-substrate-interface-layer and additional work pending publication https://arxiv.org/html/2503.03168v1.

Requirements

• PhD degree in the Physical Sciences (Physics/Chemistry), Material Science or related field.
• Experience in synchrotron spectroscopy and diffraction/scattering techniques.
• Experience with Python Programming Language code development, model creation and fitting.
• Demonstrated record of scientific contribution through publications and talks in related fields.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse, discipline-spanning team of scientists and engineers

Nice To Haves

• Experience in two or more of the following:
• Experience with X-ray Spectroscopy (XPS and/or XAS).
• Experience with X-ray Reflectivity (XRR) and/or surface diffraction.
• Experience with X-ray Diffraction (XRD), ideally with powder and single crystal samples.
• Experience in developing methods to effectively collate data from a range of experimental techniques to gain better insight into the materials under investigation.
• Experience with material science, solid-state chemistry, or nanoscience
• Knowledge or experience with X-ray Resonant Scattering or coherent techniques

Responsibilities

• Spearhead a focused effort to enable cutting edge synchrotron science to make significant advances in QIS materials.
• Develop methods to collect & analyze X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray Reflectivity (XRR) data and correlate these measurements to Qubit efficiency measurements to build structure-property relationships.
• Participate in the exploration of coherent X-ray scattering techniques to address QIS problems,
• Collaborate with a wide range of researchers across a variety of disciplines including, chemistry, energy & quantum materials, within BNL and externally.
• Publish and presents the results of these studies to the community.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees