Research Scientist, Laser-Plasma Accelerators and X-ray Sources Full-time NEW

Research Scientist, Laser-Plasma Accelerators and X-ray Sources

The Department of Physics at The University of Texas at Austin seeks an accomplished experimental physicist to lead a program on laser wakefield electron accelerators, laser-driven x-ray sources, laser-driven muon sources, and the physics they enable. The successful candidate will build UT's laser-based x-ray capability for semiconductor and medical applications, support the LaVHEE effort on laser-driven very-high-energy electron (VHEE) beams for radiotherapy, play a leading role in UT's participation in the LSU-led LaNeXT project (The Laboratory for Next Generation X-ray Science and Technology, NSF Mid-scale RI-1), and lead the x-ray beamline portion of TeX-Ray, a planned Texas laser synchrotron facility, including support for its laser development.

The position offers a highly independent research role with the opportunity to lead proposals, supervise researchers and students, and shape a new national user facility, at the interface of ultra-high-intensity laser science, accelerator physics, semiconductor metrology and medical imaging.

Responsibilities

• Lead the research program on laser wakefield electron accelerators and betatron, inverse-Compton and other laser-driven x-ray sources, including experiments on UT3, the Texas Petawatt (TPW) and off-site facilities (e.g., BELLA at LBNL, ELI Beamlines, ELI-NP).
• Develop laser-based x-ray diagnostics for semiconductor and medical applications, including 3D micro-CT of packaged chips, x-ray diffraction (XRD), phase-contrast imaging and related techniques, and support the development of laser-driven VHEE beams for radiotherapy (LaVHEE), working with industry and clinical partners.
• Lead the x-ray beamline portion of TeX-Ray (MIMIX and associated beamlines): beamline design, commissioning, and operation, and support laser development for the facility.
• Take a leading role in UT's participation in the LSU LaNeXT project: co-lead UT's part of the proposal and project, represent UT with LSU and the partner institutions, define and deliver UT's laser-driven x-ray contributions, and develop related user-program and funding efforts.
• Publish results, present at conferences, and supervise postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, technical staff and undergraduate research assistants.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics or a related field and a minimum of six years of post-Ph.D. experience, and at least eight years of total research experience (including pre-doctoral research at universities or national laboratories), in experimental laser-plasma physics or accelerator science.
• Demonstrated record of leading experiments on laser wakefield acceleration and laser-driven x-ray generation (betatron, inverse Compton, or similar), documented by peer-reviewed publications.
• Experience with x-ray imaging or scattering techniques (e.g., radiography, micro-CT, XRD, phase-contrast) including detectors, optics and data reconstruction.
• Experience with high-power (≥ 50 TW) Ti:sapphire laser systems and with executing experiments at external laser facilities.
• Record of securing external research funding or leading major proposal components (e.g., NSF mid-scale or multi-institution projects), and of supervising researchers and students.

Salary Range

$100,000 plus depending on qualifications.

Working Conditions

• Work in an academic research environment and in laser laboratories
• Repetitive use of a keyboard
• Will work with UT3, the Texas Petawatt and associated laboratories at UT Austin, with Class IV lasers, high-voltage systems, vacuum systems and ionizing radiation (x-ray) sources
• Travel to and work at offsite facilities (e.g., LBNL, ELI Beamlines, ELI-NP, LSU, national laboratories) and to meetings with partners

Required Materials

• Curriculum Vitae (CV), including a list of publications
• Statement of research interests
• 3 letters of reference, at least two of which must be from references outside The University of Texas at Austin.