Careers at Virginia Tech

The Quantum Systems Team at the Virginia Tech National Security Institute (VTNSI) invites applications for a postdoctoral associate position in quantum engineering. VTNSI is a university thematic research institute (research.vt.edu/institutes), with the mission of meeting the pressing needs of the defense and intelligence communities by developing their future workforce and advancing interdisciplinary research, technology, and policy.

The successful candidate will join the group of Vsevolod Ivanov within the Spectrum Dominance Division at VTNSI, working primarily on projects studying the transport and optical properties of topological materials and computational methods development. The candidate will also be expected to interact with other members of the Quantum Systems Team at VTNSI, which includes Vassilios Kovanis and Mark Limes, whose research interests include quantum photonics, quantum sensing, applications in Positioning Navigation and Timing (PNT), geolocation and synchronization, nonlinear dynamics, and tunable photonic oscillators and clocks. Other responsibilities will include communicating results in journal publications and conferences as well as mentoring junior members of the group. There will also be opportunities for travel to present in conferences and to participate in other collaborations.

This position serves to further develop the quantum initiative at VTNSI, which is part of greater university efforts in quantum science and engineering. Virginia Tech is a member of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), and the Quantum Frontier is one of the four major research frontiers at Virginia Tech (research.vt.edu/research-frontiers/quantum). The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty at the newly established Virginia Tech Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering (vtq.vt.edu), the recently announced Center of Quantum Architecture and Software Development within the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, as well as participate in the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), of which Virginia Tech is a member. Other opportunities at Virginia Tech include the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) and the Academy of Data Science with its undergraduate major in Computational Modeling and Data Analytics (CMDA). The two VTNSI campuses in Blacksburg and Arlington operate in close proximity to federal agencies, national laboratories, and federally-funded research and development centers, enabling opportunities for interaction.

Please include a cover letter (optional), a curriculum vitae (CV) including a list of publications, a research statement and a list of three professional references. Applications received by 11:59 pm EST on November 30, 2024, will receive full consideration, but applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.

- Ph.D. or equivalent degree in physics, engineering, or a closely related field, awarded prior to the effective start date of the appointment. PhD must be awarded no more than four years prior to the effective date of appointment with a minimum of one year eligibility remaining.
- Due to the nature of the Institute's work, must be a US citizen
- Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance
- Have demonstrated the ability to work effectively with a diverse team
- Possess a track record of presentations at conferences and publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals

- Ability to communicate effectively, write publications, make presentations, and possibly aid with supervising undergraduate and graduate students
- Experience performing first principles simulations of topological materials, including, but not limited to: topological insulators, Weyl/Dirac/nodal line semimetals, to obtain their bulk/surface optical and transport properties, including anomalous Hall conductivity, anomalous Nernst conductivity, shift current, etc
- Understanding of the theory of topological materials, including topological invariants, analysis and classification of electronic states based on group theory
- Development (coding) experience with languages such as Python, C, C++, Fortran, bash, etc. Familiarity with AI and machine learning of material properties is a plus
- Practical knowledge of density functional theory methods and tools such as Quantum Espresso, VASP, Wien2k, Wannier90, or others

Appointment Type

Restricted

commensurate with experience

November 30, 2024

Due to the nature of our work, all applicants must be US citizens.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check. The successful candidate will be required to obtain a security clearance. 

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

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