Postdoc: Trapped Ion Quantum Clocks and Precision Timing Systems

About the role

Job Details New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That's our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers-literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission-your opportunity-is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you're driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you're ready for JPL. Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence. JPL is unique among NASA Centers in that its staff a re Caltech employees, yet can access NASA technical re sources. Cross-discipl in e teamwork is st and ard he re : colleagues across JPL's science and eng in eer in g organizations and on Caltech's academic campus often work together. Learn in g to speak and underst and other discipl in es' languages is a doorway to the c re ativity needed to do what has not been done be for e. JPL staff a re encouraged to c re ate mission concepts that add re ss humanity's co re questions through a comb in ation of science and technology. They a re supported in develop in g ideas in to proposals and hardwa re , and in communicat in g funded missions' re sults to the scientific community and the broader public. JPL seeks to employ scientists and eng in eers who a re passionate about lifelong learn in g and excited to both contribute to and lead team ef for ts. We emphasize the importance of partner in g across discipl in e boundaries and c re at in g a friendly, constructive work environment to overcome space exploration's challenges. The Postdoc toral scholars at JPL benefit from an in for mal mentor in g network, an annual confe re nce showcas in g their re sults, a dedicated sem in ar series, exposu re to diverse ca re er paths, and social connections across the JPL and Caltech community for advice on hous in g, childca re , and other aspects of liv in g in southern Cali for nia. JPL is look in g for a postdoc who will jo in the Quantum Science & Technology re search community and contribute to ongo in g ef for ts in p re cision tim in g and quantum technologies. This work supports the cont in ued advancement of ion clock re search capabilities at JPL and contributes to futu re applications in space-based tim in g systems and quantum-enabled technologies. This position in volves experimental re search in the design, development, operation, and test in g of trapped ion systems for p re cision f re quency st and ards and quantum tim in g applications. The re search emphasizes h and s-on laboratory work in volv in g ion trapp in g systems, cold atom systems, p re cision measu re ments, numerical simulations, laser systems, vacuum systems, and quantum measu re ment techniques re levant to state-of-the-art atomic clock and quantum technologies. The postdoc will contribute to the advancement of next-generation ion clock architectu re s through experimental in vestigation, system re f in ement, and per for mance characterization. The work is structu re d as a postdoc toral-level re search ef for t in tended to support in novation in quantum tim in g technologies while provid in g opportunities for publication and collaboration with in JPL's Quantum Science & Technology community. Re sponsibilities: Design, develop, and experimentally operate trapped ion clock systems Support re search on mercury ion and ytterbium optical clock technologies Support re search on re levant quantum technologies in the group as opportunities and in te re sts arise. - Develop and optimize laser, vacuum, and control systems for p re cision tim in g experiments Conduct per for mance characterization and data analysis of ion clock systems Contribute to experimental in vestigations of next-generation quantum tim in g technologies Publish re search f in d in gs in peer- re viewed journals and p re sent re sults at scientific confe re nces Collaborate with multidiscipl in ary teams across JPL and partner in stitutions Re qui re d Qualifications: Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Quantum Optics, Atomic Physics, or a re lated field Experience with laser systems, optics, p re cision measu re ment techniques, and vacuum in strumentation Strong background in atomic physics, p re cision measu re ments, and quantum optics Demonstrated re search productivity through peer- re viewed publications P re fer re d Qualifications: H and s-on experimental experience with trapped ion systems, cold atom systems, Bose-E in ste in condensate, or atomic clock technologies Familiarity with quantum measu re ment, control techniques, and p re cision f re quency st and ards Experience develop in g experimental hardwa re and laboratory in strumentation Experience wi