Postdoctoral Researcher

Job Title

Postdoctoral Researcher

Agency

Texas A&M Engineering

Department

Aerospace Engineering

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Postdoctoral Researcher will study high energy laser beam propagation through inhomogeneous and turbulent media in both low and high speed flows and rarefied flow environments with applications to directed energy, remote sensing and deep space propulsion funded through NASA and Army grants. Laser-based diagnostic approaches potentially including, but not limited to, absorption spectroscopy, Mie/Rayleigh scattering (lab-based and LIDAR), two-photon absorption spectroscopy, and femtosecond laser tagging will be used to study and quantify the underlying flow structure including mean and fluctuating velocity and density fields. Studies will be conducted through benchtop experiments as well as testing in the 80-ft path length Sub-scale Atmospheric Facility (SAF) and UV LIDAR facility at the Aerospace Laboratory for Lasers, Electromagnetics and Optics (ALLEMO). These facilities are equipped with buoyancy driven and cross-flow turbulence generators, large aperture laser transmitters and receivers, and continuous wave and pulsed high power laser systems. For space applications, the Postdoctoral Researcher will conduct experiments in the Advanced Propulsion Chamber (APC), a 30” diameter, 60” long ultra-high vacuum facility with 2400 L/s turbopump and 1e-7 Torr base pressure for studies of beam propagation through rarefied flows, such as that produced by a recently constructed Champargue-style Rb atomic beam source. In-house numerical beam propagation codes will be applied to understand the impact of flow properties, coherent structures and/or turbulence statistics on beam parameters by comparing to high-speed scintillation, wavefront and irradiance profile measurements.

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement and execute test campaigns in wind tunnels, vacuum chambers and other test facilities.

• Analyze experimental data, prepare and submit publications.

• Plan and test new laser and optical diagnostics and approaches.

Required Education:

Ph.D. Degree

Preferred Education: 

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics or related fields.

Preferred Experience:

• Significant and demonstrated experience with advanced, time-resolved laser and optical diagnostics of high speed flows, aero-optics, gases and/or plasmas, or combustion systems.
• Experience with pulsed high energy laser systems (nanosecond, picosecond, femtosecond), burst-mode lasers and data acquisition systems is highly desired. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Experience or knowledge of: physical optics, beam propagation, imaging systems, lasers, atomic and molecular physics, aero-optics, wavefront sensing, laser spectroscopy techniques (TDLAS, WMS, Rayleigh/Raman/Thomson scattering, LIF, TALIF, CARS), nonlinear optics and reacting non-equilibrium flows.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.

Job Title

Postdoctoral Researcher

Agency

Texas A&M Engineering

Department

Aerospace Engineering

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Postdoctoral Researcher will study high energy laser beam propagation through inhomogeneous and turbulent media in both low and high speed flows and rarefied flow environments with applications to directed energy, remote sensing and deep space propulsion funded through NASA and Army grants. Laser-based diagnostic approaches potentially including, but not limited to, absorption spectroscopy, Mie/Rayleigh scattering (lab-based and LIDAR), two-photon absorption spectroscopy, and femtosecond laser tagging will be used to study and quantify the underlying flow structure including mean and fluctuating velocity and density fields. Studies will be conducted through benchtop experiments as well as testing in the 80-ft path length Sub-scale Atmospheric Facility (SAF) and UV LIDAR facility at the Aerospace Laboratory for Lasers, Electromagnetics and Optics (ALLEMO). These facilities are equipped with buoyancy driven and cross-flow turbulence generators, large aperture laser transmitters and receivers, and continuous wave and pulsed high power laser systems. For space applications, the Postdoctoral Researcher will conduct experiments in the Advanced Propulsion Chamber (APC), a 30” diameter, 60” long ultra-high vacuum facility with 2400 L/s turbopump and 1e-7 Torr base pressure for studies of beam propagation through rarefied flows, such as that produced by a recently constructed Champargue-style Rb atomic beam source. In-house numerical beam propagation codes will be applied to understand the impact of flow properties, coherent structures and/or turbulence statistics on beam parameters by comparing to high-speed scintillation, wavefront and irradiance profile measurements.

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement and execute test campaigns in wind tunnels, vacuum chambers and other test facilities.

• Analyze experimental data, prepare and submit publications.

• Plan and test new laser and optical diagnostics and approaches.

Required Education:

Ph.D. Degree

Preferred Education: 

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics or related fields.

Preferred Experience:

• Significant and demonstrated experience with advanced, time-resolved laser and optical diagnostics of high speed flows, aero-optics, gases and/or plasmas, or combustion systems.
• Experience with pulsed high energy laser systems (nanosecond, picosecond, femtosecond), burst-mode lasers and data acquisition systems is highly desired. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Experience or knowledge of: physical optics, beam propagation, imaging systems, lasers, atomic and molecular physics, aero-optics, wavefront sensing, laser spectroscopy techniques (TDLAS, WMS, Rayleigh/Raman/Thomson scattering, LIF, TALIF, CARS), nonlinear optics and reacting non-equilibrium flows.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.