Postdoctoral Appointee - Bioimaging Microscope, Onsite

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We seek one postdoctoral appointee to work in the area of nonlinear optical bioimaging microscopy, primarily working with PI Christopher Kliewer. Our team is building a new bioimaging microscope with fluorescence lifetime imaging and time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) microscopy. In the near-term, planned work will have a heavy focus on the development and demonstration of a new bioimaging approach based upon vibrational coherence lifetime imaging through a CARS microscopy approach. Significant effort in ultrafast pulse shaping to optimize the desired nonlinear interaction is expected. Initial experiments will focus on resolving DNA lifecycle events during viral infection of E. Coli and other canonical bacterial hosts. While this postdoctoral appointee will work extensively on the optical microscopy approach, the successful candidate will be a member of a larger team including genetic biologists and physical chemists.

On any given day, you may:

• Collaborate with researchers on customization of ultrafast, chirped pulse optical microscopy experiments utilizing state-of-the-art CARS microscopy approaches.
• Collaborate with Sandia biologists to coordinate sample preparation.
• Iterate on experimental design to increase the bioimaging contrast provided by vibrational coherence lifetime imaging.
• Build optical pulse shaping and chirping components on the laser table, and incorporate into the microscope platform.

You will be expected to partner with a multi-investigator team, present results at national/international meetings, and publish research in high profile peer-reviewed journals.

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

• PhD degree in physics, chemistry, biology, optics, engineering or a closely related discipline
• Significant experience with ultrafast nonlinear spectroscopy

• Solid background in nonlinear optics, instrumentation, ultrafast lasers, and electronics
• Solid background in nonlinear optical microscopy for biological applications
• Ability to address complex problems creatively, and to work effectively both independently and in collaboration with other researchers.
• Strong record of publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences
• Experience with LabVIEW, MATLAB, SIMION, and 3D CAD

The Gas Phase Chemical Physics Department is part of Sandia's Combustion Research Facility (CRF) in Livermore, California, where over 100 scientists, engineers, and technologists conduct basic and applied research to improve our nation's capabilities in gas-phase chemical physics. Under the principal sponsorship of the Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the Gas Phase Chemical Physics Department conducts fundamental experimental, theoretical, and modeling research to develop a foundational understanding of the complex chemical reactions that occur either directly in the gas phase or influenced by it. Research areas include chemical dynamics and spectroscopy, advanced diagnostics, ultrafast physics and chemistry, chemical kinetics, multi-phase chemical physics, pressure-dependent chemistry, and gas-surface interactions.

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

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. Under federal law, citizens and agents of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, and the Russian Federation are generally prohibited from accessing Sandia National Laboratories. Accordingly, such individuals will not be considered for employment unless they are also a citizen of the United States.

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.

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