Postdoctoral Research Associate in Quantum Optics and Bioimaging, ORNL
Job Description
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is hiring a Postdoctoral Research Associate in quantum optics and bioimaging, developing squeezed-light microscopy for label-free imaging of cells and tissues. The call is open until filled.
At a glance
- Post: Postdoctoral Research Associate in Quantum Optics and Bioimaging
- Where: Quantum Computing and Sensing Group, Computational Science and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Requisition ID: 17146
- Closing date: none given. ORNL reviews applications as they arrive, so the post is open until filled
- Pay: the advertisement states no figure
Read the official ORNL advertisement before you apply.
The work
Squeezed light lets a measurement beat the shot-noise limit that normally bounds optical sensing. Applied to microscopy, that means usable images at lower illumination, which matters enormously for living samples that photodamage easily. This post builds that instrument and proves it against the alternative.
The named duties are designing, assembling, aligning and characterising optical instrumentation for squeezed-light sensing and microscopy; benchmarking quantum-enhanced measurements against coherent-light measurements at the same sample illumination and acquisition time, moving from reference samples to biological specimens; collaborating with biology teams to image cells and tissues while watching sample integrity and illumination effects; and developing instrument-control and data-analysis workflows.
You would work with an interdisciplinary team of optical scientists, quantum researchers, biologists and computational researchers.
What you need
- A PhD in physics, optics, biomedical engineering or a related field
- Experimental quantum optics, especially squeezed-light generation and detection
- Microscopy experience, and a willingness to work alongside biologists
- Read the official advertisement for the full qualifications
Pay and conditions
ORNL publishes no salary figure on this advertisement. It is a US Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory with more than 7,000 staff, and postdoctoral appointments there are normally fixed-term with the possibility of renewal. Ask about the term and the pay band at interview.
How to apply
Apply through the ORNL job page using the Apply button, quoting requisition 17146. The advertisement gives no closing date, so apply early. Most ORNL positions require the right to work in the United States, and some roles touching nuclear or export-controlled work carry citizenship conditions. Read the posting’s own wording before you spend time on an application from outside the US.
Browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in, or search our Find a supervisor page.
Hiring institution: Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Official advertisement: jobs.ornl.gov
How to prepare for this application
- The benchmark is the deliverable. Showing a quantum advantage at matched illumination is the hard part; say how you would design that comparison.
- Biological samples are unforgiving. Any live-cell imaging experience is worth stating.
- Quote the requisition ID, 17146. ORNL tracks applications by it.
- Check the work-authorisation line on the posting. It is the usual reason an overseas application stalls at a national laboratory.
About Oak Ridge National Laboratory
ORNL is the largest US Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with a legacy going back to the 1940s and more than 7,000 staff. It runs national user facilities including the Spallation Neutron Source and the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, and works across computing, materials, chemistry, nuclear science, biology and energy.
