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Senior Vacuum Engineer at LHO

Caltech’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) seeks a highly motivated and skilled Senior Vacuum Engineer to join its Cosmic Explorer Beamtube Experiment (CEBEX) team at the Richland, Washington observatory site.

LIGO Laboratory is a major National Science Foundation facility dedicated to observing the newly discovered gravitational-wave universe. Jointly operated by the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, LIGO operates the world’s leading gravitational observatories near Richland, WA and Baton Rouge, LA, as well as campus R&D centers in Pasadena, CA and Cambridge, MA.

This position is a fulltime in-person role located at LIGO Hanford in Richland, WA.

To learn more about LIGO Laboratory, please visit LIGO.caltech.edu. The Laboratory’s mission supports the young science of gravitational-wave physics and astronomy and includes observatory operations, analysis and dissemination of astrophysical observations, detector science and technology R&D, gravitational-wave astrophysics, and education and public outreach.

LIGO now also leads the effort to expand humanity’s gravitational wave horizon with a next-generation observatory, Cosmic Explorer (CE). Slated for construction in the 2030’s, CE will be ten times the size and reach of LIGO, able to gather signals from the edge of the observable universe.

The selected applicant will join an elite team charged with conceiving, designing, building, and testing advanced technology for the CE vacuum systems, destined to be the largest ultrahigh vacuum systems ever built. We will exercise and develop this technology in a new, purpose-built UHV research facility, the Cosmic Explorer Beamtube Experiment (CEBEX) Laboratory, located at LIGO Hanford.

Current Washington and Louisiana LIGO installations occupy 4 km scale, 10 million-liter UHV systems operating at one trillionth of atmospheric pressure (10-9 millibar), making them the two largest contiguous UHV volumes ever constructed. To further expand sensitivity, a new observatory will be constructed: Cosmic Explorer (CE). This observatory will require beamtubes 10x longer, up to 40 km in length. This will multiply CE’s detectable source range by ten, increasing the accessible volume of space thousandfold. However, UHV structures of this size and volume have never been attempted.

As a key member of the Cosmic Explorer Beamtube Experiment (CEBEX) team, the selectee will contribute to the modeling, trade study, design, fabrication, installation, bakeout and characterization of engineering prototypes and technology demonstrators for CE beamtubes up to 40 km in length. Tests will include industrial fabrication and qualification of a planned 1.2-meter diameter, 120-meter-long demonstration tube, to be erected in the new purpose-built CEBEX laboratory at the LIGO Hanford Observatory (LHO). In parallel, the chosen candidate will take a lead role in forging results of these investigations into a conceptual reference design, construction plan, and parametric cost estimate for CE. These will form the core of our future CE Observatory construction proposal.

This is a Campus Critical position. An employee designated as campus critical is expected to be aware of the campus emergency management plan and to report to Campus as soon as possible in the event of an emergency to assist in campus wide response and recovery efforts.

Essential Job Duties

  • Collaborate with research scientists and engineers in modeling and investigation of UHV techniques, welding and fabrication technology, structural statics and dynamics, thermal processing, surface preparation, residual gas characterization, material surface analysis, and related disciplines.
  • Establish, track, and maintain team workplans, schedules and budgets to accomplish mission objectives.
  • Supervise and mentor junior engineering and technical staff.
  • Plan and oversee specification and procurement of instruments and equipment, including budget development, scheduling, technical requirement definition, competitive vendor selection, contract monitoring, and quality assurance.
  • Responsible for professional communication (written and verbal) internally within the organization and externally to parties outside the organization. This includes liaising and interacting with US and international collaborators, contributors, and industrial partners.
  • Liaising, collaborating, and exchanging information with LIGO Laboratory vacuum teams concerning best practices, organization standards and methods.
  • Serve as a contributing member or chair on Design, Technical, Installation and other internal Review panels as may be required.
  • Initiate and collaborate in writing and delivering research papers and technical presentations.
  • Develop, oversee, and evaluate UHV material preparation and test facilities, including cleaning plants, bake ovens, and outgassing test chambers used to prepare or characterize UHV components and instrumentation.
  • Travel as requested to other LIGO campus and observatory sites, major vendor facilities, and collaborating institutions, both domestic and international.
  • Undertake additional leadership or contributing responsibilities as needs of the program may require.

Basic Qualifications

  • BS degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical or Systems Engineering, Physics, Material Science, or a related scientific or engineering field.
  • 8 or more years of direct vacuum engineering or research work experience in relevant industrial or scientific applications.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in practical design, analysis, and performance characterization of high- or ultra-high vacuum systems, including structural and safety analysis, pressure measurement, pump and valve selection, surface preparation, bakeout, and seal technology.
  • Thorough knowledge and experience in selection and application of UHV-compatible materials, material processes (welding, surface preparation, etc.)
  • Demonstrated proficiency in application and interpretation of spectra from residual gas analyzers.
  • Experience in application of helium mass‐spectrometer leak detection (MSLD) apparatus.
  • Effective English‐language written and verbal communication skills and habits.
  • Proven ability to mentor junior engineering and technical staff.
  • Level-headed professionalism and excellent interpersonal and team skills.
  • An automobile driver’s license valid in the United States.
  • Ability to lift at least 20 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s or Doctoral graduate degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Chemical or Systems Engineering, Physics, Material Science, or a related scientific or engineering field.
  • Certificate, coursework, or other professional qualification in Project Management.
  • Demonstrated expertise in application of industrial automation to large-scale vacuum systems.
  • Hands-on experience in building, improving, and maintaining high- or ultra- high vacuum systems.
  • Experience related to fluid, cryogen, pressure, flow rate, and gas sensors and instrumentation.
  • Computer-aided design (CAD) experience and demonstrated proficiency (SolidWorks™ preferred).
  • Finite-element analysis (FEA) experience and demonstrated proficiency (e.g., Ansys™, COMSOL™ or equivalent).
  • Gas dynamical modeling expertise (e.g., using MOLFLOW™ or equivalent Monte Carlo codes).

Required Documents

  • Cover Letter summarizing your relevant experience to this role and also your interest in LIGO Lab.
  • Resume.

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Three ET positions at RWTH Aachen

The successful candidates will be employed under a regular employment contract. The positions are to be filled at the earliest possible date and offered for a fixed term of two years. If the Einstein Telescope in the NL-B-D border region is approved, RWTH will attempt to continue the contract. The fixed-term employment is possible as it constitutes one of the fixed-term options of the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (German Act on Fixed-term Scientific Contracts). This is a full-time position. The salary is based on the German public service salary scale (TV-L). The position corresponds to a pay grade of EG 13 TV-L. Application time: 18.07.2024

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PhD positions in Theory and Phenomenology of High Energy Physics at RWTH Aachen

Prof. M. Czakon and Prof. M. Worek invite applications for Ph.D. positions in theoretical particle physics (hep-ph) with a starting date in the fall of 2024. The PhD projects concern precision Standard Model predictions for the LHC, perturbative QCD, top quark and Higgs boson physics. The recipients will be hosted by the Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany. The deadline for applications is June 7, 2024.

We explicitly encourage applications from qualified women. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference if equally qualified.

More information about the Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology, RWTH Aachen University can be found at:

https://www.particle-theory.rwth-aachen.de

The PhD positions are funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The PhD students will be eligible for association with

  • the Research Training Group: Physics of the Heaviest Particles at the LHC – http://www.rwth-aachen.de/rtg2497
  • the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre: P3H – Particle Physics Phenomenology after the Higgs Discovery – https://p3h.particle.kit.edu/.

Please enclose in the application:

  • cover letter stating your interests, motivation, and preference for either Prof. Czakon or Prof. Worek
  • research statement,
  • curriculum vitae,
  • degree certificates and study transcripts with a description of the grading scheme,
  • abstract (maximum half a page) of your diploma or masters thesis,
  • list of your publications (if any).

Please arrange for 2 letters of recommendation to be submitted via AcademicJobsOnline.org.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a job interview shortly after the deadline. The job interview will include:

  • an oral scientific presentation (20 minutes) given by you on a subject of your choice,
  • an interview to gain a deeper understanding of your knowledge and motivation.

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LISA Precision Measurement Scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center

The Gravitational Astrophysics Laboratory at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is seeking a research astrophysicist with expertise in metrology, precision measurement, and/or instrumentation for gravitational wave detection to support NASA’s participation in the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. Application Deadline: May 31st 2024.

This position is for a Research Astrophysicist (civil service scientist) Term Hire not to exceed 2 years with the option to extend to a maximum of 6 years, and the option to be made permanent without further competition.

LISA is a mission led by the European Space Agency to build and operate the first space-based observatory of gravitational waves with sensitivity in the millihertz band and a wide variety of applications in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. NASA’s contributions to LISA, which are being led by the Goddard Space Flight Center, include the delivery of critical instrument systems of telescopes and precision laser light sources.

The selected individual will work with the existing LISA team at Goddard, including scientists, engineers, project managers, and support staff to contribute to the successful delivery of the instrument systems. Duties will include designing and conducting verification and validation of instrument prototypes and flight models; contributing to system-level models of instrument performance; and interfacing with precision measurement scientists at ESA and other European partners. While support for LISA is the primary focus for this position, the employee will also have opportunities to propose self-directed research to study gravitational waves or other areas of astrophysics.

This will be a 2-step process. The first phase, through May 31, 2024, seeks declarations of interest in this position via a submitted letter of interest and other documents (see below). The second phase will be a USAJOBS posting, anticipated in June 2024. Those who respond during phase 1 will receive additional notification when the respective USAJOBS opportunity opens. Note that phase 1 is the ‘strongly encouraged’ phase and phase 2 is the ‘required’ phase.

The position will reside at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, a suburb of Washington, DC.

US citizenship is required at the time of the Phase 2/USAJOBS application. Those who are expecting U.S. citizenship by the time of the Phase 2 opportunity are encouraged to submit materials during Phase 1, even if they do not yet have their U.S. citizenship. A Ph.D. degree is preferred. This is an early to mid-career position that will be posted at the GS-13 and GS-14 levels.

Interested applicants should contact Diana Elben (diana.m.elben(at)nasa.gov) by 5/31/2024. Please use the subject line “2024 LISA Precision Measurement Scientist”. Inquiries about the position may be addressed to Dr. John Baker at john.g.baker(at)nasa.gov. Additional application material will be required in Phase 2 via the USAJobs website; the USAJobs posting is anticipated sometime in June 2024.

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Postdoctoral Researcher Quantum Information Science and Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics at LSU

Louisiana State University is seeking outstanding candidates for the role of a Postdoctoral Researcher or Senior Postdoctoral Researcher for the theoretical modeling of superconducting qubit devices and hybrid quantum material systems with applications to quantum information science.

The postdoctoral researcher responsibilities will include conducting theoretical research on novel superconducting quantum information devices and material platforms, as well as numerical modeling of device data obtained from collaborations with experimental groups. Additionally, the researcher will assist in the mentoring graduate students, publish papers and present at conferences.

The Senior postdoctoral researcher responsibilities will also include leading theoretical research on novel superconducting quantum information devices and material platforms, as well as mentoring graduate students.

Minimum qualifications: (Both) Ph.D. in physics (Senior level) three years of related experience.

The position will be a part of the “Theory of Quantum Circuits & Materials“ group led by Professor Constantin Schrade. Applicants are encouraged to visit our group’s website (www.constantinschrade.com) for more information on our research focus and directions. For any inquiries about the position, please contact Professor Constantin Schrade directly at cschrade(at)lsu.edu.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The position is for up to two years, with a possibility to extending the contract further.

Additional Information:

The “Theory of Quantum Circuits & Materials“ at LSU is a newly established theoretical research group that works at the exciting intersection of superconducting quantum devices and quantum materials. As a senior member of the group, you will have the unique opportunity to contribute to shape a welcoming group culture and you will significantly contribute to our overarching of goals developing new applications of quantum circuits and materials for quantum information applications. Moreover, you will also have the opportunity to acquire co-supervision experience for graduate students and other junior researchers.

Our group is part of the LSU’s Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Hearne Institute of Theoretical Physics, which focuses on cutting-edge research across many domains relevant to quantum information and material science. Moreover, through the group of Professor Jim Sauls (Hearne Chair of Theoretical Physics), LSU’s Department of Physics & Astronomy is closely linked to the DOE’s Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center.

LSU is situated in Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s vibrant capital, known for its rich cultural and culinary scene, mild winters, and proximity to the New Orleans metropolitan area.

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