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Laser Modeling Physicist- Postdoctoral Researcher

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Posted today
DoE Q or L
$113,487 - $125,525
Unspecified
Livermore, CA (On-Site/Office)

Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States' security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are dedicated to fostering a culture that values individuals, talents, partnerships, ideas, experiences, and different perspectives, recognizing their importance to the continued success of the Laboratory's mission.

Pay Range

$113,487 - $125,525 Annually

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting; pay will not be below any applicable local minimum wage. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Job Description

We are seeking a Laser Modeling Physicist- Postdoctoral Researcher within our Laser Science and Systems Engineering Program to participate in the research, development, and modeling of advanced solid state laser technology, and high energy laser design for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). This work will take place within the National Ignition Facility & Photon Science (NIF&PS) Directorate, home to the world's most energetic laser. It is an exciting time to join the team that achieved fusion ignition in December 2022, a historic moment in science, opening new physics regimes and setting the stage for new fusion energy possibilities.

You will perform design, modeling, and commissioning of cutting-edge laser technology development and potentially execute experiments to verify and validate advanced laser concepts relevant to ICF laser driver architectures, laser propagation/amplification, linear and nonlinear optics and laser matter interaction research. This position is in the National Ignition Facility and Photon Science (NIF&PS) Principal Associate Directorate (PAD).

In this role, you will
  • Conduct research and development in one or more of the following areas: modeling and experimental manipulation of beam propagation, optical breakdown in gases, nonlinear effects, frequency conversion and design of advanced laser architectures for the Next Generation of High Energy Density (NG-HED) systems in support of National Security missions.
  • Design, implement, and validate with measurements advanced laser physics and nonlinear optics models coupled with the existing LLNL beam propagation code VBL++ (Virtual Beam Line) running on both single and extreme parallel-processor high performance computers.
  • Participate in the design of innovative technologies to be deployed at the National Ignition Facility involving kJ laser pulses, gas breakdown, shock-waves generation and particulate generation.
  • Organize, analyze, and present data from research with peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences.
  • Pursue independent (but complementary) research interests and interact with a broad spectrum of researchers internally and externally to the Laboratory.
  • Work within a dynamic team environment to document research; publish papers in peer-reviewed journals, and present results within the DOE community and at conferences.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.


Qualifications

  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires US citizenship.
  • PhD in applied mathematics or physics, laser physics, optics and optoelectronics or related field or discipline.
  • Experience in experimental physics in one or more of the following areas: atmospheric beam propagation, optical polarization, solid state lasers, laser cavities, short pulse laser technology, frequency conversion, non-linear optics, crystal optics, computational fluid dynamics, laser-matter interaction.
  • Experience with finite element analysis software packages (Ansys, COMSOL or equivalent).
  • Experience with Mathematica, MATLAB, Python and/or similar scripting and data analysis tools.
  • Experience in developing mathematical models for beam propagation including nonlinear interactions, for long and short pulses
  • Experience in numerical methods to efficiently implement and solve these equations in codes.
  • Ability to perform as an innovative researcher with a broad range of experience in experimental design, techniques, and execution.
  • Experience developing independent research projects, including publication of peer-reviewed literature.
  • Proficient written and verbal communication skills to collaborate effectively in a team environment and present and explain technical information within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment

Qualifications We Desire
  • Experience in laser modeling and familiarity with atmospheric beam propagation, nonlinear optics and basics of solid-state laser architectures.
  • Hands-on experience with laser, linear and nonlinear optics experimental laboratory techniques.


Additional Information

#LI-Onsite

Position Information

This is a Postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of extension to a maximum of three years, open to those who have been awarded a PhD at time of hire date.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?
  • Included in 2025 Best Places to Work by Glassdoor!
  • Flexible Benefits Package
  • 401(k)
  • Relocation Assistance
  • Education Reimbursement Program
  • Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
  • Our values - visit https://www.llnl.gov/inclusion/our-values

Security Clearance

This position requires a Department of Energy (DOE) Q-level clearance. If you are selected, we will initiate a Federal background investigation to determine if you meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or matter. Also, all L or Q cleared employees are subject to random drug testing. Q-level clearance requires U.S. citizenship.

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Wireless and Medical Devices

Per the Department of Energy (DOE), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory must meet certain restrictions with the use and/or possession of mobile devices in Limited Areas. Depending on your job duties, you may be required to work in a Limited Area where you are not permitted to have a personal and/or laboratory mobile device in your possession. This includes, but not limited to cell phones, tablets, fitness devices, wireless headphones, and other Bluetooth/wireless enabled devices.

If you use a medical device, which pairs with a mobile device, you must still follow the rules concerning the mobile device in individual sections within Limited Areas. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities require separate approval. Hearing aids without wireless capabilities or wireless that has been disabled are allowed in Limited Areas, Secure Space and Transit/Buffer Space within buildings.

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Please be aware of recruitment scams where people or entities are misusing the name of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to post fake job advertisements. LLNL never extends an offer without a personal interview and will never charge a fee for joining our company. All current job openings are displayed on the Career Page under "Find Your Job" of our website. If you have encountered a job posting or have been approached with a job offer that you suspect may be fraudulent, we strongly recommend you do not respond.

To learn more about recruitment scams: https://www.llnl.gov/sites/www/files/2023-05/LLNL-Job-Fraud-Statement-Updated-4.26.23.pdf

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request.

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About Us
Since its origins, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has pushed the limits of science, technology, and research in an effort to better understand the world and protect the people in it—but we do so much more than that. To this day, we continue to innovate, collaborate, and explore, backed by the minds of thousands of talented researchers, operations staff, and creative professionals. We are a globally-recognized leader in bioengineering, high-performance computing, environmental research, nuclear science, and more. And none of this research would be possible without our employees across different fields, from skilled labor to engineering. No matter what you do here, you can help change the world. The Lab is located in the heart of the Livermore Valley in the East Bay area of California, close to major metropolitan areas like San Francisco, Oakland, and San José.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Jobs


Clearance Level
DoE Q or L