Associate Research Engineer in HEP and Quantum Technologies

Job Summary

Research, design, engineer, develop and test experimental particle physics instrumentation and methods including photodetectors, silicon readout devices, data acquisitions systems, cooling systems, electronics and mechanical systems integration, control systems, and code development. Prototype electronics and mechanics for the detectors. Pursue world-class experimental work in a multidisciplinary environment to push the frontier of collider physics and benefit the international scientific research community in their quest to observe new physics phenomena. Including above, it is estimated that work hours will be spent, approximately, as follows.

Essential Job Duties

(30%) Commissioning and characterization of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPD) and entanglement sources and deployment of the relevant cryogenic, optical, and readout systems for precision measurements.

(20%) Construction, assembly and testing, as well as research and technology development (R&TD), for a High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) fast timing detector based on Cerium doped Lutetium Yttrium Orthosilicate (LYSO) crystal tiles coupled to silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors [Compact Muon Solenoid minimum ionizing particles (MIP) Timing Detector (CMS-MTD)] at the Caltech Precision Timing Laboratory (CPT).

(20%) Support engineering R&TD activities on future Quantum Networking architectures including implementation of synchronizations systems, both terrestrial and in free space.

(20%) Collaborate in R&TD work on single photon precision detectors and sources for the development, commissioning, and deployment of Quantum Information Science-High Energy Physics (QIS-HEP) cross-cutting experimental test-beds, both for dark matter sensing and networks of quantum sensors.

(5%) Construction, assembly, testing, and quality assurance of sensor modules and assisting in remaining R&TD tasks, including module readout board design, as well as radiation tolerance studies.

(5%) Integration of various equipment (scopes, laser stands, readout modules) via customized software into a fully functioning sensor module quality certification system with the capability to fully characterize a variety of particle detectors.

Work location is Pasadena, CA. Travel and/or extended stay may be required to the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Illinois; and to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (in French Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in applied science or engineering field (e.g., physics, electronics engineering);
• 2 years of experience as a research engineer, detector engineer, projects engineer, experimental physicist, or equivalent. 
• Qualifying experience must include 2 years with experimental particle physics instrumentation and methods, including photodetectors, silicon readout devices, data acquisitions systems, cooling systems, electronics and mechanical systems integration, control systems, and code development; fast(GHz) analog electronics and PCB design; CAD design, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and process automation using LabVIEW.
• Up to 10% travel and/or extended stay may be required to Batavia, Illinois and Geneva, Switzerland.