Principal Research Scientist I, Step 4

Duties / Responsibilities

• Optical Coating Design and Fabrication
• Develop, optimize, and characterize single-layer and multilayer reflective coatings for hard X-ray mirrors and full-shell optics.
• Support thin-film deposition studies using magnetron sputtering systems and related techniques, including layer-thickness control, interface quality improvement, and environmental stability studies.
• Instrumentation And Hardware Development
• Participate in the design, assembly, and validation of laboratory instrumentation and coating facilities used for optical deposition and metrology.
• Support the development of test hardware for characterizing mirror reflectivity, roughness, and uniformity.
• Collaborate with engineering teams on optical component integration into flight-like telescope assemblies.
• Participate in study teams for the development of new mission concepts and support relevant aspects of current flight projects.
• Computational And Software Development
• Build and maintain computational models for X-ray reflectivity, multilayer optimization, and performance prediction from the soft to hard X-ray bandpass, including lower gamma-ray energies.
• Implement and train physics-informed and machine-learning algorithms for parameter optimization, data interpretation, and control automation of coating processes.
• Develop MATLAB/Python-based simulation tools and GUIs for reflectivity analysis and data processing.
• Apply improvements and updates to motion control software as new hardware is integrated into laboratory systems.
• Data Analysis And Reporting
• Conduct quantitative analysis of X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and synchrotron data to extract optical constants, interface roughness, and depth-dependent parameters.
• Document experimental findings, maintain research records, and contribute to technical reports, NASA deliverables, and peer-reviewed publications.

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 9 months of verifiable full-time work experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in thin-film deposition, optical coatings, or multilayer mirror development.
• Proficiency in computational modeling using Python, MATLAB, or equivalent scientific software.
• Experience with optical metrology, vacuum systems, or instrument integration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary research environments.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with hard-X-ray or extreme-ultraviolet optics, multilayer design codes, or synchrotron reflectivity measurements.
• Familiarity with machine-learning or AI-based optimization methods for physical systems.
• Prior collaboration experience with NASA or national laboratories.