Postdoctoral Associate or Research Associate

Job Summary

The proposed work is within the Faint Photonics group in the Applied Physics Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, CO, USA. Primary duties consist of analyzing and improving the performance of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) specifically at mid-infrared wavelengths, and developing arrays of such detectors for single-photon mid-infrared spectroscopy. This task involves both nanofabrication in a specialized "cleanroom" facility, as well as device testing and characterization in an optics setup, and installation of detectors arrays in a custom-built cryogenic spectroscopy system. The candidate for this project will also be supporting an international collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Goettingen, Germany, and the University of Aarhus in Denmark, where these cryogenic spectroscopy systems will be used for laboratory experiments in astrophysics and astrochemistry.

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP).

Who We Are

PREP is a special partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado Boulder. The particular group that needs a researcher is the Faint Photonics Group at NIST.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Design and fabricate new SNSPD architectures to achieve high efficiency in the 2-10 µm (mid-infrared) wavelength band.
• Test SNSPD devices using cryogenic systems and contribute to maintenance and operation of those systems.
• Contribute to international collaboration with groups in Germany and Denmark.
• Develop optical testing setups for measuring system detection efficiency at mid-infrared wavelengths.
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals.
• Present results at conferences.

What You Should Know

Anticipated start date is September 15, 2026. Anticipated end date is March 31, 2028.

What We Can Offer

The salary range for the full-time Postdoctoral Associate position is $74,000 - $108,000 annually. The salary range for the full-time Research Associate position is $78,000 - $135,000 annually.

What We Require

• Postdoctoral Associate: PhD in physics, electrical engineering, or a related field with 0 – 4 years of post-doctoral degree experience.
• Research Associate: PhD in physics, electrical engineering, or a related field with 5+ years of post-doctoral degree experience.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Expertise in one or more of the following is desired: SNSPD design, fabrication and testing; Design and operation of cryogenic systems; Vacuum and high-vacuum systems; RF electronics and circuit design; CAD/CAM software such as Solidworks; Programming using Python and/or Labview.