What You Will Do

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has an immediate opening for a postdoctoral research associate who will work with both Space Remote Sensing and Data Science (ISR-6) and National Security Earth Science (EES-17).

The Moon is a high priority target of exploration for NASA. The Artemis program will establish a new human presence on the Moon and is opening up new opportunities for in situ lunar instrumentation in the near future.

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) utilizes optical fibers to monitor mechanical vibrations along thousands of independent locations. Deploying DAS on the moon to monitor moonquakes, meteorite impacts, and acoustic emission from regolith could potentially lead to revelations about the interior structure of the moon, prevalence and hazards of impacts, and how the lunar structure is changing. However, there are many scientific and practical questions that remain on how to deploy the optical fiber. The selected Postdoc will explore the implications for installing fiber on the lunar surface and experimentally investigate outstanding questions such as the relationship between fiber coupling strategies and signal response in lunar simulant.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Strong publication record

• Proficiency in programing languages such as Python, Julia, C/C++ Excellent communication skills as evidenced by oral presentations at conferences

Education: A Ph.D. degree in a STEM field related to planetary science, geodesy, seismology, geophysics, physics, or other related fields. For a postdoctoral appointment the candidate must have completed all Ph.D. requirements by commencement of the appointment or must be within five years of completion of the Ph.D.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with development or support of research projects and proposals

• Previous research involving lunar regolith, granular materials, mechanical coupling, seismology or acoustics.

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Salary: Competitive salaries are based on the date the PhD degree requirements were completed or the degree was awarded. Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $92,000. For more information go to Postdoc Program website at https://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/index.php .

Note to Applicants:

We encourage applicants who are excited about this role to apply even if their past experience does not align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description.

To apply, please submit an online application including your ​​CV and a one-page cover letter. The cover letter should include a short biography (2-3 lines), research interests, and future career goals. Scientific interests should align with the research scope described in the posting. In the cover letter please address how the minimum requirements are met and any of the desired skills, if applicable.

Additional questions can be sent to Dr. Carly Donahue (cmd@lanl.gov).

For general information about being a LANL postdoc, please visit the Postdoc Program (http://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/index.php) website.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network

§ Dental and vision insurance

§ Free basic life and disability insurance

§ Paid childbirth and parental leave

§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)

§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance

§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)

§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs

§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 (https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/supplemental-directive/sd-0206-0002) . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.