About Sandia:

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide

• Extraordinary co-workers

• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world

• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities

• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)

• Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

Is it possible to understand the topological properties of twistronic systems using a real-space theoretical framework? And can such a framework be extended to interacting systems that can exhibit topological order? If such an approach is possible and generalizable, it would represent a paradigm shift for the field of topological physics.

Over the past two decades, topological phenomena have emerged as a central theme in physical systems and materials research. However, these phenomena are almost always understood in terms of a system’s global, bulk properties. The goal of this project is to develop local, real-space methods for classifying a system’s and/or state’s topology and other physical properties. Within this broad goal, the scope of this project is open to being defined by the successful candidate. This project could take the form of deriving new local markers and other local theoretical probes for twistronic systems. Another option would be to develop local marker algorithms compatible with standard simulation techniques of real materials, and then applying these techniques to a variety of materials that cannot be topologically classified using known theoretical methods. Yet another possibility would be to extend known local topological markers to toy models of interacting systems. Your main focus will be on theory and numerics, and you will closely collaborate with Alex Cerjan at Sandia’s Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies and mathematician Terry Loring at the University of New Mexico to develop novel numerical K-theoretic techniques.

The Cerjan-Loring topological and mathematical physics group is dedicated to the discovery of new mathematical frameworks for understanding physical systems. A key goal of our group is to ensure these approaches are formulated so that resulting numerical algorithms are fast. Although our group’s activities are entirely theoretical and numerical, we have active collaborations with experimentalists at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies and Sandia National Laboratories more broadly to observe the phenomena we predict. We value an inclusive and diverse environment. You will have extensive support from both group leaders, other group members, as well as staff support from Sandia National Laboratories.

The successful candidate will have the option to diversify their research projects in the later years of their appointment to assist them in achieving their future career goals.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Qualifications We Require:

• A PhD, conferred within five years prior to employment, in physics, materials science, mathematics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, or a related STEM field.

• Proven record of creative thinking and diligent follow-through, as evidenced by high-impact publications in journals and presentations at leading conferences.

• Experience with some subset of topological band theory, local topological markers, density functional theory, topological order, and/or applications of K-theory to physics.

Qualifications We Desire:

• Enthusiasm for exploring the boundaries between physics and mathematics, and patience in learning the language of a field you may be unfamiliar with.

About Our Team:

Contact: Alexander Cerjan, awcerja@sandia.gov

The Nanostructure Physics Department is one of two departments at Sandia that are a part of The Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT www.cint.lanl.gov). CINT is a Department of Energy/Office of Science Nanoscale Science Research Center operating as a national user facility committed to establishing the scientific principles that govern the design, performance, and integration of nanoscale materials. Through its Core facility at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque and the Gateway facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, CINT provides users from academia, industry, and government labs, open access to the tools and expertise needed to explore the continuum from scientific discovery to the integration of nanostructures into the micro- and macro world. CINT is an equal partnership between Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

This position does not currently require a Department of Energy (DOE) security clearance.

Sandia will conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Furthermore, employees in New Mexico need to pass a U.S. Air Force background screen for access to Kirtland Air Force Base. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause access to be denied or terminated, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

If hired without a clearance and it subsequently becomes necessary to obtain and maintain one for the position, or you bid on positions that require a clearance, a pre-processing background review may be conducted prior to a required federal background investigation. Applicants for a DOE security clearance need to be U.S. citizens. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Members of the workforce (MOWs) hired at Sandia who require uncleared access for greater than 179 days during their employment, are required to go through the Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) process. Access includes physical and/or cyber (logical) access, as well as remote access to any NNSA information technology (IT) systems. UPIV requirements are not applicable to individuals who require a DOE personnel security clearance for the performance of their SNL employment or to foreign nationals. The UPIV process will include the completion of a USAccess Enrollment, SF-85 (Questionnaire for Non-Sensitive Positions) and OF-306 (Declaration of for Federal Employment). An unfavorable UPIV determination will result in immediate retrieval of the SNL issued badge, removal of cyber (logical) access and/or removal from SNL subcontract. All MOWs may appeal the unfavorable UPIV determination to DOE/NNSA immediately. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the MOW may try to go through the UPIV process one year after the decision date.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Position Information:

This postdoctoral position is a temporary position for up to one year, which may be renewed at Sandia's discretion up to five additional years. The PhD must have been conferred within five years prior to employment.

Individuals in postdoctoral positions may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.

Job ID: 691078