Postdoctoral Scholar

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory • Berkeley, CA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is hiring a Postdoctoral Scholar within the Energy Storage & Distributed Resources division. The Postdoctoral Scholar will participate in the development of novel ultrafast laser technologies for remote detection. Specifically, this position involves research on generation of widely tunable GHz-THz femtosecond pulse bursts to optimize laser-matter coupling, plasma generation, and emission spectroscopy. Research will focus on femtosecond laser spatiotemporal pulse shaping with bursts of femtosecond pulses, imaging with single-shot ultrafast schemes, and high resolution plasma diagnostics. This project aims to advance current capabilities for the remote ultrafast laser beam propagation in the context of developing the next-generation of remote sensing technologies.
This position has an anticipated start date of June 1, 2026.
We’re here for the same mission, to bring science solutions to the world. Join our team and YOU will play a supporting role in our goal to address global challenges! Have a high level of impact and work for an organization associated with 17 Nobel Prizes!
Why join Berkeley Lab?
We invest in our employees by offering a total rewards package you can count on:
Exceptional health and retirement benefits, including pension or 401K-style plans
A culture where you’ll belong - we are invested in our teams!
In addition to accruing vacation and sick time, we also have a Winter Holiday Shutdown every year.
Parental bonding leave (for both mothers and fathers)

Requirements

• Ph.D. in experimental Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or other related fields.
• Hands-on experience with construction of ultrafast laser burst generation systems.
• Prior experience with ultrafast laser systems and plasma time-resolved diagnostics.
• Experience in advanced optical system design and experimentation.
• Ability to work as an independent researcher and as a member of a diverse research team, collaborating toward goals, solving problems, and developing scientific ideas.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to author technical and/or scientific writing and present work in conference and review meetings
• Ability to work effectively with others in a collaborative and diverse research environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in ultrafast single shot imaging and ultrafast mapping photography.
• Experience with advanced optics for beam wavefront manipulation including adaptive optics and orbital angular momentum beams.
• Expertise in laser plasma spectroscopy (e.g., LIBS), pump-probe experimentation, or filament air lasing.
• Prior experience with optics modeling.
• Experience with basic surface morphology characterization technologies (SEM, optical/confocal microscopy, white-light interferometry).

Responsibilities

• Construction of tunable ultrafast laser burst generation systems based on ultrafast laser amplifiers.
• Design of sophisticated laser beam delivery systems and temporal delay lines.
• Design and set up of ultrafast in situ plasma imaging and diagnostic systems.
• Spatially and temporally characterize laser pulses.
• Function independently and provide research support and assistance to other members of the group.
• Prepare and conduct technical presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Report research results in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
• Carry out collaborative research with staff scientists, postdoc fellows, visiting researchers, and students.
• Adhere with ETA and EH&S safety guidelines and requirements.

Benefits

• Exceptional health and retirement benefits, including pension or 401K-style plans
• A culture where you’ll belong - we are invested in our teams!
• In addition to accruing vacation and sick time, we also have a Winter Holiday Shutdown every year.
• Parental bonding leave (for both mothers and fathers)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees