Postdoctoral Researcher - Optical Physics
Colgate University

We seek a postdoctoral researcher for a 2-year position at Colgate University to work on optical physics research with complex light. The position is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. We are interested in an experimental researcher with a Ph.D in Physics, Optics, or Engineering. We prefer candidates with experience in optics, with preference given to those familiar with complex-light beams and associated hardware, such as spatial light modulators and parametric down-conversion. Available facilities at Colgate include numerous types of lasers, spatial light modulators, and other optical hardware, including 6 optical tables set up with ongoing classical and quantal studies.

The primary duties of this position involve designing and performing experiments on complex-light problems. Current ones include laboratory astrophysics studies of gravitational lensing, creating 3-d fields of spatially-variable polarization for communication, and quantum optics studies in imaging and metrology with entangled photons. This work will be done in collaboration with Prof. Enrique "Kiko" Galvez and Colgate University undergraduates. For those interested in eventually moving on to an academic position, the option exists to supervise undergraduate students in research and to be mentored in excellence in teaching within the curriculum at Colgate.

Colgate is a highly-selective liberal arts university of 3,200 students situated in the picturesque village of Hamilton, in central New York. Our faculty are committed to excellence in both teaching and scholarship. The physics and astronomy department has 11 tenure-track faculty members housed in the new Ho Science Center, which is configured to facilitate interdisciplinary teaching and research. The department averages over 25 graduates per year. Facilities include well-equipped research laboratories in quantum and optical physics, condensed matter physics, superconducting electronics, computational physics, biophysics, planetary science, and observational astronomy. Please visit our website for information regarding our facilities, programs and faculty expertise.

Candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae (CV) and a short description of research experience that emphasizes work in optical physics research. The CV should include research experience, publications, and the names of two individuals who have agreed to submit letters of recommendation. Candidates should also arrange for letters from those individuals to be uploaded to Interfolio at apply.interfolio.com/153898 by the deadline below. Letters should primarily address research, speaking to the candidate's prior accomplishments and future potential. Colgate strives to be a community that is supportive of diverse perspectives and identities. In the cover letter, all applications should speak directly to the candidate's ability to work effectively with colleagues and students across a wide range of identities and backgrounds.

For full consideration, applications should be uploaded to by November 1, 2024; review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Email inquiries to Enrique Galvez (egalvez@colgate.edu) are welcome.

Salary Range or Pay Grade

$60,000

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