Senior/Principal Physics - Ion Beam Laboratory Characterization, Onsite

Company: Sandia National Laboratories
Location: Albuquerque
Posted on: May 10, 2025

Job Description:

About Sandia:Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov*These benefits vary by job classification.What Your Job Will Be Like:The Radiation-Solid Interactions Department, which runs and maintains the Ion Beam Laboratory (IBL) at Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a mid-career staff scientist with interest and expertise in exploring radiation effects in semiconductor materials and devices using ion, electron and neutron irradiation.The IBL combines ion, electron and neutron irradiation capabilities with in-situ electrical characterization as well as analytical techniques. These include:
  • Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS),
  • Photoluminescence (PL),
  • Electroluminescence (EL),
  • Transient microwave reflectance (TMR),
  • Electron and ion beam induced charge collection (EBIC and IBIC),
  • Current voltage characterization (IVs),
  • Capacitance voltage characterization (CVs),
  • In-situ transmission electron microscopy (I3TEM),
  • In-situ scanning electron microscopy (I3SEM). These combinations of in-situ capabilities with ion, electron and neutron irradiations enable state-of-the-art research. You will use these tools and more to explore the fundamentals of radiation effects in semiconductor materials and devices; as well as investigate new directions of material science with defect engineering from macro- to nano-scale. Join our multidisciplinary team to perform state-of-the-art experiments and modeling based around Sandia's accelerator capabilities.This position is expected to support two key areas of research at the IBL:
    • Ion beam irradiation of semiconductors using heavy ions to simulate neutron displacement damage and combined ion plus electron exposure to simulate a combined neutron plus gamma environment. These two capabilities allow Sandia's IBL to provide unprecedented material behavior insight and explore the fundamental science surrounding radiation induced defects in a wide range of classical and modern semiconductor systems including Si, SiC, GaAs, GaN, AlGaN, GaOx, 2D TMDs and other advanced materials and design concepts.
    • Ion beam-based nanoscale fabrication and characterization of materials and devices. The research will involve using a range of focused ion beam implantation capabilities from focused ion beam systems with On any given day, you may be called on to:
      • Develop new research programs utilizing the Sandia's IBL capabilities to address critical mission needs. For example, the development of new and enhanced experimental and modeling techniques to understand and predict radiation response in semiconductor materials and devices including high-impact research towards understanding atomistic- and nano-scale phenomena and their influence on material behavior in extreme environments.
      • Perform ion, electron or neutron-based irradiation experiments and collaborate with diverse groups working with a wide array of predictive modeling, device fabrication and in-house material/device testing capabilities including in-situ electrical characterization techniques and in-situ material structural characterization.
      • Generate research publications and present at leading technical conferences.Due to the nature of the work the selected applicant must be able to work onsite in Albuquerque, New Mexico Relocation will be provided for those that qualify.Salary Range:$114,000 - $227,500*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.Qualifications We Require:
        • PhD in physics, chemistry, materials science, electrical engineering, or a related STEM field with 5 or more years of relevant national laboratory, academic or industrial experience, or a master's degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, electrical engineering, or a related STEM field with 10 or more years of relevant national laboratory, academic or industrial experience
        • Experience leading research projects evidenced by track record of acquiring funding from either internal or external agencies and conducting independent research
        • Experience using ion (keV-to-multi-MeV), electron (keV-to-MeV) or neutrons for semiconductor materials or device testing including radiation effects testing and /or materials analysis and modification
        • Able to acquire and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearanceQualifications We Desire:
          • Experience in leading research teams comprised of scientists, technologists, postdoctoral scholars, and/or graduate students
          • A history of publications in peer-reviewed professional journals and presentations at appropriate scientific conferences
          • Experience with programming languages such as Python, Visual C and LabView and/or experience with software-hardware interaction
          • Experience with developing safe operating procedures for potentially high hazard systems and/or operations in a multi-user facility
          • Superb analytical skills and excellent interpersonal skillsAbout Our Team:The Radiation-Solid Interactions Department 1866 consists of a mix of students, post-doctoral appointees, permanent technical staff and technologists running and maintaining the Ion Beam Laboratory (IBL). We have a vibrant team representing a wide range of backgrounds, skill sets and work styles. The IBL houses 8 major accelerators: a 6 MV Tandem, a 3 MV Pelletron, a 1 MV tandem, a 400 kV implanter, two 30 kV Helium Ion Microscopes and both a 35kV and 100 kV mass velocity filtered focused ion beam systems with The IBL engages in three major research thrusts:(1) Understanding the performance of materials and devices in radiation environments. These projects impact the performance of microelectronics in space and other hostile environments, as well as cladding materials in nuclear reactor and storage environments.(2) Developing and applying novel ion beam techniques to precisely measure materials compositions. Applications in this area include mapping hydrogen isotopes in fusion wall material and measuring the composition of thin complex materials such as transition metal oxides.(3) Exploring the materials science of defects in solids. This broad area includes single ion implants for quantum applications, anomalous grain growth in nanograined materials, hydride formation under irradiation, and nanomechanical responses of materials.Within each research thrust, individual staff develop a deep expertise in relevant subject matter, and our technologists develop unique technical knowledge in instrumentation and data acquisition. Teams are formed using these discriminating and complementary skillsets to collaborate in research that has direct impact on Sandia's mission areas.Join us and work towards your goals while making a difference!Posting Duration:This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.Security Clearance:Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.EEO:All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs. If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.Job ID: 695477Job Family: RDRegular/Temporary Position: RFull/Part-Time Status: FRequired
            Preferred

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Keywords: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque , Senior/Principal Physics - Ion Beam Laboratory Characterization, Onsite, Healthcare , Albuquerque, New Mexico