Position Description

Postdoctoral Associate in Diamond Growth for Quantum Networking

This position offers the opportunity for a recent PhD in materials science, applied physics, physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, or a related field to establish single-crystal diamond chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth as a new capability at Cornell University. Diamond color centers, including the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) and group IV vacancy centers, are the leading qubit platform for quantum repeater nodes, and the quality and purity of the host diamond set the limit on their spin coherence and optical properties. The Postdoctoral Associate (Postdoc) will lead the development of growth processes on a newly installed plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) diamond reactor in the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF). 

Responsibilities include: 
• Develop homoepitaxial diamond growth processes with low background nitrogen concentration and controlled nitrogen incorporation, including nitrogen δ-doped layers. 
• Systematically optimize substrate preparation, sample mounting and thermal contact, gas purity, growth temperature, and related process conditions. 
• Characterize grown material using techniques such as x-ray diffraction, phase-contrast microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry, and relate growth conditions to nitrogen-vacancy center spin coherence. 
• Document processes and transfer reproducible recipes to CNF staff; coordinate with the project’s fabrication and integration efforts. 
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students and communicate research findings through publications and presentations. 

The Postdoc will hold their appointment in the School of Applied and Engineering Physics and will be advised jointly by Professor Darrell Schlom (Materials Science and Engineering) and Professor Gregory Fuchs (Applied and Engineering Physics), working day to day with CNF technical staff as well as with a second postdoctoral associate on diamond fabrication. 

Required Qualifications: 
• PhD in materials science and engineering, physics, applied physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, or a related field by the start date. 
• Hands-on research experience with crystal or thin-film growth, such as CVD, PECVD, MOCVD, MBE, or a comparable technique, and experience working with relevant process equipment. 
• Experience characterizing crystalline materials and systematically developing or optimizing experimental processes. 
• Strong documentation, communication, and collaboration skills, including the ability to work safely in a shared research facility. 

Preferred Qualifications: 
• Experience with diamond CVD or other wide- or ultra-wide-bandgap materials; epitaxy; substrate preparation; or polishing. 
• Familiarity with diamond or silicon-carbide color centers, spin measurements, or relevant optical characterization. 
• Cleanroom fabrication, membrane transfer, bonding, or heterogeneous integration experience. 
• Experience documenting processes or training users in a shared facility and interest in hands-on quantum engineering education. 
This is a one-year postdoctoral appointment with the expectation of reappointment for a second year, and the possibility of further extension contingent upon funding and successful performance. The selected candidate will be appointed annually, as per Cornell’s academic appointment policy. The starting salary range is $63,480 - $68,480, depending on experience; the lower end of this range is the NIH postdoctoral minimum for fiscal year 2026. The position includes a comprehensive benefit package and support for conference travel. We seek a candidate who can start as soon as possible. 

Visa sponsorship is available. 

To apply, please submit a letter of application describing your growth and characterization experience, your interest in the position, and your earliest available start date; a CV with publication list; and a list of three references. All documents should be attached to the resume section of the application. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a suitable candidate is selected.