Computational Science Postdoctoral Fellow

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL ) Advanced Light Source (ALS) Division has an opening for a Computational Science Postdoctoral Scholar to work on accelerating materials discovery using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques (AI/ML).  A broad range of scientific backgrounds will be considered for this role.

 

The ALS is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national scientific user facility whose excellent scientific reputation, expert staff, and capabilities in the soft x-ray, hard x-ray, and infrared regimes attract over 1,600 academic and industrial users each year in disciplines spanning physical, chemical, materials, biological, energy, and Earth sciences. It is one of five Berkeley Lab user facilities that serve a combined 11,000 users annually. The co-location of these user facilities – including the Molecular Foundry Nanoscale Science Research Center and the NERSC scientific computing center, as well as Berkeley Lab's outstanding programs in materials and chemical sciences, among others – offers a prime environment for collaborative science. The ALS has been a global leader in soft x-ray science for more than two decades and is currently undergoing a large-scale upgrade (ALS-U) that will endow the facility with state-of-the-art x-ray capabilities. It's an exciting time to join our growing team!

 

The core values of the ALS reflect a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek candidates who will support a culture in which each member of the community feels welcomed and valued. An ongoing commitment to recruiting and retaining a vibrant, diverse, and talented workforce is paramount to promoting a strong and successful lab community. For more information refer to the LBNL core values and the ALS mission statement and core values.

What You Will Do:

• Develop data management, analysis, and visualization software for a variety of scientific data sets, with a focus on materials science.

• Develop AI/ML tools for multimodal scientific data sets.

• Develop and maintain software for access catalogs of experimental and synthetic data sets.

• Contribute to collaborative open-source projects.

• Collaborate closely with scientists, engineers, and technical support staff at the ALS.

• Provide training to colleagues and write excellent documentation.

• Present research findings via oral presentations at scientific meetings, conferences, and peer reviews.

 

What is Required:

• PhD degree in the Physical Sciences, Material Science, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, or related discipline.

• Experience and a strong interest in scientific software development or research software engineering.

• Knowledge of AI and ML principles and practices.

• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse team of scientists and engineers.

• Demonstrated record of scientific excellence through publications, talks, or software deliverables.

 

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience using the open-source scientific Python software stack for data analysis.

• Familiarity with widely used AI/ML libraries such as scikit-learn, PyTorch, and TensorFlow.

• Contributions to open-source scientific software projects.

• Experience building web-based applications.

• Demonstrated record in collaborative software development, especially in distributed teams.

• Experience in data acquisition and analysis at a synchrotron light source, neutron source, or another major scientific user facility.

• Experience with data orchestration systems like Prefect, Airflow.

• Experience with one or more container deployment systems such as Podman, Docker and Kubernetes.

 

Notes:

• For full consideration, please apply by December 6, 2023.  The position will be open until it’s filled.

• This is a full-time, 2 years, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.

• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes. Postdoctoral Fellow positions are paid on a step schedule per union contract and salaries are predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral and/or related research experience. This position has a targeted monthly salary range of $5,374 - $8,326/month and is expected to start at $7,455/month or above.

• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.

• This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule - a combination of teleworking and performing work on site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Work schedules are dependent on business needs. Individuals working a hybrid schedule must reside within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab.

 

Learn About Us:

Berkeley Lab (LBNL) addresses the world’s most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab’s scientific expertise has been recognized with 16 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

 

Working at Berkeley Lab has many rewards including a competitive compensation program, excellent health and welfare programs, a retirement program that is second to none, and outstanding development opportunities. To view information about the many rewards that are offered at Berkeley Lab- Click Here .

 

Berkeley Lab is committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) and strives to continue building community with these shared values and commitments.

Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We heartily welcome applications from women, minorities, veterans, and all who would contribute to the Lab’s mission of leading scientific discovery, inclusion, and professionalism. In support of our diverse global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. 

 

Equal Opportunity and IDEA Information Links:

Know your rights, click here for the supplement: "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" and the Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision under 41 CFR 60-1.4.