Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate

University of Southern California • Arlington, VA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Application Specific Intelligent Computing Lab at the USC Information Sciences Institute (USC-ISI) is recruiting to join a beyond-CMOS spintronics program — a 36-month, multi-institution DARPA-funded effort to develop a three-terminal beyond-CMOS digital logic switch based on spintronic elements. The successful candidate will take technical leadership on device physics and device integration, working across theory and experiment within a multi-PI team spanning USC-ISI and partner institutions.

Requirements

• PhD (awarded or imminent) in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Demonstrated competence in both a computational technique (NEGF, DFT, micromagnetics, atomistic spin dynamics, or equivalent) and an experimental technique (device fabrication, transport, FMR, magneto-optics, or thin-film characterization).
• Strong publication record.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with spintronic materials or beyond-CMOS device platforms.
• Familiarity with MATLAB or the Python scientific stack.
• Prior involvement in multi-PI collaborations or government-funded programs.

Responsibilities

• Design and lead validation experiments at the major program decision gates
• co-author theory and experimental publications
• contribute to the patent portfolio
• Theory: Quantum transport modeling using NEGF; first-principles materials and interface calculations using DFT (VASP, Quantum ESPRESSO, or equivalent).
• Atomistic spin dynamics or micromagnetic simulation (e.g., Vampire, OOMMF, MuMax3); extraction of compact device models from first-principles results.
• Experiment: End-to-end device fabrication: e-beam lithography, metallization, lift-off, thin-film deposition, and etch.
• Integration of heterogeneous material stacks supplied by collaborators into working device structures.
• Electrical and magnetic characterization, including cryogenic transport, FMR, and high-frequency lock-in measurements.

Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience (USC postdoc / USC-ISI graduate research assistant scales).
• Access to USC-ISI cleanroom facilities, the broader USC research ecosystem, and fabrication routing through the CA DREAMS Microelectronics Commons Hub.
• Direct involvement in a high-visibility DARPA program with clear paths to first-author publications and a position in a growing patent portfolio.
• The successful candidate will interact regularly with senior faculty at partner institutions.

What This Job Offers

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