Research Associate Physics (Ion Beam Figuring)

Location: On-site in Upton, New York, United States

Salary: $71,900–$88,000 per year

Company

hirify.global is a U.S. Department of Energy multidisciplinary research laboratory operating the National Synchrotron Light Source II, an advanced facility for X-ray imaging and high-resolution energy analysis.

What you will do

• Design, model, integrate, and test an Einzel lens and diaphragm module for ion beam figuring, including real-time control of beam current density, spot size, and focal position.
• Develop calibration, beam diagnostics, and closed-loop beam-conditioning routines using metrology feedback.
• Develop Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet/Figuring processes, including gas, power, standoff-distance, and dwell-strategy optimization for silicon and silicon dioxide substrates.
• Establish plasma, thermal, and optical diagnostics and integrate in-situ or near-line metrology.
• Build physics-informed and data-driven models for dwell time, raster strategies, and beam or plasma parameters.
• Characterize figure, slope, and roughness using interferometry, deflectometry, AFM, SEM, and related metrology, then publish and present the results.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Physics, Plasma, Materials, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline by the start of employment.
• Demonstrated experience with optical surface characterization and statistical analysis of figure and roughness data.
• Hands-on experience with energy-beam surface processing such as APPJ, IBF, or fluid-jet polishing.
• Strong analytical, experimental-design, problem-solving, written, and oral communication skills.
• Eligible research associate candidates must have no more than five combined years of relevant postdoctoral or R&D experience after earning the Ph.D., subject to stated exclusions.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification credential is required.

Nice to have

• Background in surface or materials science, chemistry, sputtering, etching, or plasma-surface interactions.
• Experience with IBF systems, Einzel lenses, high-voltage or vacuum hardware, gas handling, or plasma diagnostics.
• Experience applying machine learning to process modeling or optimization, including PyTorch, TensorFlow, physics-informed learning, or reinforcement learning.
• Proficiency with control, data acquisition, instrumentation, experiment automation, and data-processing software such as Python or C++.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employee position with a comprehensive benefits program.
• Collaboration with internal research teams and external plasma experts.
• Access to an advanced synchrotron research environment supporting energy, environmental, and human-health discoveries.
• Occasional travel is required.
• Work is performed on site, with REAL-ID-compliant documentation required for laboratory access.