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Posting Detail Information

Working TitlePostdoctoral Fellow - RISE Inertial Fusion Energy Hub Optics & Optical Materials

Position LocationFort Collins, CO

Work LocationPosition is fully in-office/in-person

Research Professional PositionYes

Posting Number202501705AP

Position TypeAdmin Professional/ Research Professional

Classification TitlePostdoctoral Fellows

Number of Vacancies

Work Hours/Week40

Proposed Annual Salary Range$68,000-$70,000

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

+ Review our detailed benefits information here. (https://hr.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/01/benefits-summary-afap.pdf)

+ Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.

+ For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator (https://hr.colostate.edu/total-compensation-calculator/) .

+ Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in (https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-community/) !

Desired Start Date

Position End Date (if temporary)

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on12/08/2025

Description of Work Unit

Colorado State University is a land-grant institution, with enrollment of more than 33,000 students. CSU offers 76 undergraduate degree programs, 114 graduate degree programs, 21 professional master’s degree programs, and a Professional Veterinary Medicine program. CSU’s world-class research and scholarship attract more than $370 million in research funding every year, ranking second nationally in federal research funding for universities without a medical school. Fort Collins is an attractive community of approximately 170,000 located along the Colorado Front Range at the base of the Rocky Mountains, 65 miles north of Denver. The city is routinely recognized as one of the most desirable places to live in the United States. It consistently ranks high on quality of life measures by numerous publications; see https://www.fcgov.com/visitor/awards for the complete list. The Front Range has developed into a high-tech hub with companies such as Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, IBM , Intel, Keysight Technologies, Broadcom, AMD , Xilinx, Ball Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Woodward and Northrop Grumman located in or near Fort Collins. The city offers a pleasant climate with excellent schools and abundant cultural and recreational opportunities nearby. For more information on Fort Collins, check out the City’s website: www.visitftcollins.com.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has 24 faculty members, 400 undergraduates, and 190 graduate students. It has cross-cutting research programs in biomedical engineering; communications and signal processing; computer engineering; controls and robotics; electric power and energy systems; electromagnetics and remote sensing; and lasers, optics, and applications. In 2015, the National Science Foundation selected the ECE department to lead the nation to scalable and sustainable change in engineering education through its Revolutionizing Engineering Departments ( RED ) program. Impressively, CSU was the first ECE department chosen by the NSF for this highly competitive initiative of national importance. The department participates in the CSU Information Science and Technology Center (ISTeC), the CSU - CHILL National Radar Facility, and the NSF Engineering Research Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere. It is home to the headquarters of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology. ECE boasts three Colorado State University Distinguished Professors and one University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, the highest recognition available for CSU faculty. More than 40% of ECE faculty hold IEEE Fellow distinction, and many faculty have courtesy appointments in the departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and Systems Engineering and collaborate with faculty in these and other departments across CSU . More information on the department can be found at www.engr.colostate.edu/ece.

The RISE hub located at Colorado State University Foothills campus has the goal to advance science and technology to support laser fusion. A research thrust of the RISE hub focuses on the synthesis, characterization and testing of dielectric coatings for high power ultraviolet lasers and ultrashort pulse near infrared lasers that are drivers for inertial fusion energy. Research at the RISE hub fosters innovation. The RISE hub Advanced Coatings Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for the synthesis of amorphous oxides thin films and for their optical and structural characterization.

Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins at the foothills of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. The city is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States.

The RISE Hub exists within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering ( ECE ). ECE has 25 faculty members, 350 undergraduates, and 250 graduate students. More information can be found at lasers.colostate.edu andwww.engr.colostate.edu.

Position Summary

Colorado State University ( CSU ) seeks an independent, curiosity driven post-doctoral researcher to work on projects that investigate the synthesis of novel thin film amorphous materials for their application in the engineering of multilayer coatings for high power ultraviolet lasers and ultra-short pulse near infrared lasers. The research will also include the study of physical mechanisms that affect the coatings performance under intense illumination or illumination in corrosive environments as in the case of excimer lasers. The candidate must have experience in optical diagnostics and in the implementation of optical metrology.

Required Job Qualifications

+ PhD in Physics, Applied Physics, Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering or related discipline.

+ Experience in optical metrology, and in lasers within Electrical Engineering or related discipline.

Preferred Job Qualifications

+ Experience with optical diagnostic instrumentation

+ Experience in the synthesis and characterization of materials

+ Experience with studies of laser-materials interactions

+ Experience mentoring graduate students

Essential Duties

Job Duty CategoryResearch

Duty/Responsibility

+ Assist Research Scientists and PI on projects that investigate novel thin film amorphous materials for their application in multilayer coatings for inertial fusion drivers.

+ Conduct research in the study of physical mechanisms that affect the coatings performance under intense illumination or illumination in corrosive environments as in the case of excimer lasers

+ Optical diagnostics and implementation of optical metrology.

+ Data collection, analysis and processing

Percentage Of Time95%

Job Duty CategoryPublishing, documenting, administration

Duty/Responsibility

+ Participate in actively reporting the results obtained in project reports, presentations and publications

+ Prepare annual and periodic project reports

+ Publish work in Scientific journals and conferences

+ Assist in the supervision and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students

+ Other Duties as assigned

Percentage Of Time5%

Application Details

Special Instructions to Applicants

To apply, please upload a cover letter that addresses the required and preferred job qualifications, a resume, and the contact information for three professional references. References will not be contacted without prior notification to candidates.

CSU is committed to full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you are needing assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the listed search contact.

Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Conditions of EmploymentPre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)

Search ContactBrandon Bailey, [email protected]

EEO

Colorado State University ( CSU ) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

References Requested

References Requested

Minimum Requested3

Maximum Requested3

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

+ Cover Letter

+ Resume or CV

Optional Documents