Ion Beam Experimental Postdoc

About the role

MST-8 is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the development of an ion-beam-driven neutron irradiation capability for materials and diagnostics applications. The successful candidate will contribute to the design, commissioning, calibration, and operation of a proton-on-lithium neutron source with emphasis on achieving controlled neutron fluxes for in situ irradiation experiments.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design, execution, and documentation of complex experiments involving beam delivery, target response, radiation production, or diagnostic calibration.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team involving ion beam systems, neutron target design, accelerator operations, scanning electron microscopy, neutron diagnostics, software control, and experiment safety authorization.
• Perform hands-on experimental work, system integration, data analysis, and reporting.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experimental experience with ion sources, ion beamlines, accelerator facilities, ion source test stands, or related charged-particle beam systems.
• Demonstrated experience using beam diagnostics, which may include Faraday cups, beam current monitors, profile monitors, scintillators, phosphor screens, emittance diagnostics, energy analyzers, or related instrumentation.
• Knowledge of ion-beam interactions with targets, beam transport, accelerator operations, vacuum systems, high-voltage systems, or beamline control systems.
• Experience with accelerator-based neutron production, especially proton-on-lithium or other light-ion-induced neutron reactions.
• Experience with lithium, lithium compounds, or other neutron production target materials, including target fabrication, thermal management, target degradation, or beam-power handling.
• Experience measuring neutron flux, neutron spectra, or radiation fields using neutron detectors, activation foils, scintillators, proportional counters, Bonner spheres, or related diagnostics.
• Experience with radiation transport, activation, or detector-response modeling using tools such as MCNP, GEANT4, PHITS, FLUKA, SRIM/TRIM, COMSOL, or similar software.
• Experience developing software for experimental control, data acquisition, instrument synchronization, or automation using Python, LabVIEW, EPICS, MATLAB, C/C++, or related tools.
• Experience with scanning electron microscopy, in situ microscopy, materials irradiation, radiation damage, polymers, energetic materials, or microstructural characterization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in accelerator physics, nuclear engineering, experimental physics, materials science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, applied physics, or a closely related field.