Brookhaven National Laboratory is a multipurpose research institution funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Located on the center of Long Island, New York, Brookhaven Lab brings world-class facilities and expertise to the most exciting and important questions in basic and applied science—from the birth of our universe to the sustainable energy technology of tomorrow. We operate cutting-edge large-scale facilities for studies in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, applied science, and a wide range of advanced technologies. The Laboratory's almost 3,000 scientists, engineers, and support staff are joined each year by more than 4,000 visiting researchers from around the world. Our award-winning history, including seven Nobel Prizes, stretches back to 1947, and we continue to unravel mysteries from the nanoscale to the cosmic scale, and everything in between. Brookhaven is operated and managed by Brookhaven Science Associates, which was founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, and Battelle, a nonprofit applied science and technology organization.

Organizational Overview

BNL’s Nonproliferation and National Security Department (NN) contributes to U.S. nuclear security and safeguards efforts by assisting in the development, analysis and assessment of policies that strengthen international regimes, collecting and analyzing data to identify trends and threats to the U.S. and international communities, developing and implementing new technologies to address existing and emerging threats, and strengthening the domestic and international institutions that form the framework of the nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security regimes through training and engagement.  The Radiation Detection and Emerging Safeguards Technologies Group develops novel technologies to strengthen international and domestic nuclear safeguards.  One focus area is to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance nuclear safeguards approaches.  In addition, the Group is also involved in test and evaluation of safeguards technologies to support the IAEA in deployment of new safeguards approaches.

Position Description

The Nonproliferation and National Security Department seeks a 2-year term postdoctoral Research Associate with knowledge and experience in machine learning and its applications in nuclear engineering, national security, nuclear safeguards, or relevant fields.  The successful candidate will participate in ongoing research in machine learning for radiation measurements, nuclear safeguards, and security, and is expected to contribute to future proposals to develop new research opportunities.  This position has a high level of interaction with an international and multicultural scientific community and will be expected to give presentations at BNL lectures, conferences, and project review meetings to discuss research results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Apply machine learning to data analysis in radiation detection and nuclear security and safeguards to improve operational performance and efficiency
• Conduct research in machine learning focusing on applications of radiation detection in nuclear security, nuclear safeguards, and healthcare
• Develop machine learning algorithms and software tools to meet sponsors’ operational needs

Position Requirements

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• PhD in any one of the following; Nuclear Engineering, Applied Math, Computational Science, or related field
• Familiarity with machine learning fundamentals, techniques, and applications
• Demonstrated programming skills in Python
• Experience with accelerators (GPU and/or FPGA) and high-performance computing systems
• Clear and concise oral and written communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work closely and communicate effectively with domain and infrastructure scientists
• Strong track records of publication

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Familiarity with deep learning libraries (Theano, Torch, Caffe, TensorFlow, etc.)
• Demonstrated algorithm development and deployment experience in national security, nuclear safeguards, and/or nuclear engineering
• Working experience in deep learning algorithms for object detection/classification/tracking and/or natural language processing
• Track record of producing high-quality software on schedule
• Experience working in multidisciplinary scientific collaboration

Environmental, Health & Safety Requirements:

The main scope of work will take place in an office environment as well as in the laboratories.  The successful candidate must be able to conduct the activities safely in BNL laboratories by completing required training, interpreting laboratory safety information postings, and wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.

POST-DOC

BNL policy requires that research associate appointments be made to individuals who have received their doctorate within the past five years.

At Brookhaven National Laboratory we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Our benefits program includes, but is not limited to:

• Medical Plans
• Dental Plans
• Vacation
• Holidays
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid Parental Leave
• Swimming Pool, Weight Room, Tennis Courts, and many other employee perks and benefits

Brookhaven Science Associates requires proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for all employees. Proof of full vaccination as recognized by the CDC and/or WHO, inclusive of the two-week waiting period, is required at the start of your employment.

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is an equal opportunity employer that values inclusion and diversity at our Lab. We are committed to ensuring that all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a veteran, disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

BNL takes affirmative action in support of its policy and to advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

*VEVRAA Federal Contractor

Brookhaven employees are subject to restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation at the time of hire for review by Brookhaven. The full text of the Order may be found at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0486.1-BOrder-a/@@images/file