Postdoctoral Positions (full-time or part-time) in the Physics and Chemistry of Materials group (T-1) at Los Alamos National Laboratory

What You Will Do

The Physics and Chemistry of Materials group (T-1) at Los Alamos National Laboratory seeks qualified applicants for several postdoctoral openings, to push the boundaries of science and strengthen national scientific and technical capabilities in a highly engaging scientific environment. The successful candidates will be expected to perform outstanding research in the field of computational physics and chemistry on problems concerning properties and dynamics of materials. The members of the T-1 group, who would sponsor the postdoctoral associate, are experts in theory and simulation of materials using a wide range of techniques, spanning multiple length-scales, from the atomic to the continuum. We provide unique opportunities for cross disciplinary collaborations, scientific workshop organization, and conference attendance. Outstanding applicants may be nominated for prestigious LANL-funded fellowships, enabling the pursuit of independent research.

The Physics and Chemistry of Materials group seeks to understand how basic forces operating at the atomic level manifest themselves in the properties of matter at the macroscopic level. The group maintains theory, modeling and simulation capabilities in a broad set of materials-related areas. Current activities in the group include research in atoms, molecules, solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas. Our goal is to provide innovative and creative solutions needed to solve technical problems across the Laboratory's missions, including energy security, stockpile stewardship, and global threat reduction.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Demonstrated expertise in one of the following:
• Electronic structure theory and atomistic simulations of materials
• Classical, semi-classical or quantum molecular dynamics
• Multiscale physics and continuum models
• Equation of state and thermodynamics
• Materials mechanical properties, reactive burn and flow
• Opacities and the physics of hot and warm dense matter
• Machine learning methods in their application to materials and chemistry research
• Quantum information science, quantum computing and quantum materials.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting original scientific research through peer reviewed publication record.
• Excellent communication skills (both oral and written).

Education/Experience: A PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Computer Science, or related fields, completed within the last five years or soon to be completed.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in computer programming using modern computing languages.
• Experience in running large-scale computational physics, chemistry, or materials science codes based on atomistic quantum-chemical approaches and/or molecular dynamics using classical force-fields and/or continuum models.
• Experience with High Performance Computing (HPC) or GPU computing.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and with minimum supervision.
• Ability to adapt to new requirements for projects and be flexible enough to learn new areas of research as needed.
• Ability to work effectively as a part of a team in a multi-disciplinary environment and interact with people with a variety of expertise.

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Salary: Competitive salaries are based on the date the PhD degree requirements were completed or the degree was awarded. Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $94,500. For more information go to Postdoc Program website at .

Note to Applicants:

For more information on Postdoc program at LANL, please refer to

Candidates may be considered for a Director's Fellowship and outstanding candidates may be considered for the prestigious Marie Curie, Richard P. Feynman, J. Robert Oppenheimer, or Frederick Reines Fellowships. For general program information, refer to the Postdoc Program web page

Contact: Dr. Sven Rudin (View email address on lanl.jobs)

Dr. Sergei Tretiak (View email address on lanl.jobs)
Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network

§ Dental and vision insurance

§ Free basic life and disability insurance

§ Paid childbirth and parental leave

§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)

§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance

§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)

§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs

§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.


Term position: Regular-status Laboratory employees applying for term-status positions may retain regular status with approval of the cognizant Principle Associate Director.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or preference, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to View email address on lanl.jobs or call View phone number on lanl.jobs option 1.