Research Scientist

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Job Summary

LIGO Livingston Observatory (LLO) relies on continuing efforts by scientists and engineers to maintain and improve the 4-km detector's displacement sensitivity (and thereby its astrophysical range) and its duty cycle. Together these goals lead to more frequent observations of gravitational waves recorded by the network of detectors that includes LIGO (USA), Virgo (Europe), and KAGRA (Japan) interferometers. LIGO seeks a new member of its Science Team at LIGO Livingston.

The successful candidate will collaborate closely with the operations team and commissioning scientists at LIGO Livingston Observatory and LIGO Hanford Observatory, together with colleagues at Caltech and MIT.The LLO Science Team tracks and reduces the noise sources that limit the current detector sensitivity; models optical subsystems of the interferometer and compare to data; calibrates the interferometer length sensitivity; investigates and eliminates noise couplings from the external environment of the detector; devises and implements operational methods to improve duty cycle; and carries out R&D projects for future gravitational wave detectors. In addition to their detector-related roles, Science Team members often contribute to scientific activities of our world-wide collaboration and gravitational-wave network (LSC and IGWN), including next-generation instrument R&D, gravitational-wave observational science, and associated astrophysics. There are continuing opportunities to build new skills and knowledge as the field and LIGO's leading role in it develop.

Essential Job Duties

• Lead efforts to improve the detector's sensing and control systems that govern optical cavity lengths and angles, including both servo-control stability and noise performance.
• Devise and develop techniques and algorithms to characterize and remove noise sources.
• Initiate or collaborate in R&D leading to near- and long-term improvements to interferometric gravitational-wave detectors.
• Initiate or collaborate in writing research papers and technical presentations.
• Present research results and highlights at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to the overall program of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the international network (IGWN) as it develops.
• After-hours and weekend work is occasionally required to support commissioning efforts. This position requires occasional travel to other LIGO installations and collaborating institutions in Richland, Washington, Pasadena, California, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and possibly internationally.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• A Ph.D. degree in Physics, Engineering, Optics or related field. In lieu of a Ph.D., we will consider 6 years of relevant experience.
• A minimum of 8 years of post-PhD experience working with interferometers/optical systems, and/or scientific data analysis, and/or feedback control systems, and/or signal processing.
• Successful experience leading technically-cutting-edge initiatives to implement or improve high-precision instrumentation.
• Experience working in a multi-disciplinary research environment.
• Possess good verbal and written communication skills, a team attitude, and a high degree of professional discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with scientific computation, simulation and data analysis in python or similar language.
• Hands-on experience with precision mechanical, optical, and electronics used in ultra-high-vacuum low-contamination experiments.
• Successful experience in the design, commissioning, and optimization of length and angular sensing and control systems in kilometer-scale gravitational wave detectors.
• Experience with precision electronic circuit design and/or characterization; with precision electro- and opto-mechanical system design and/or characterization; and with precision optical system design and/or characterization.
• Experience writing and reviewing papers for scientific journals and internal studies.
• Familiarity with good practice in mentoring students and/or staff.

Required Documents

• Resume