Postdoctoral Researcher

The Accelerator Physics Group (APG) of the Advanced Light Source (ALS), part of the Accelerator Technology & Applied Physics (ATAP) Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to develop agentic artificial intelligence (AI) methods and software for accelerator operations. 

You will combine work on agent architectures, planning, tool use, and evaluation with development of Osprey, the agentic AI platform developed at the ALS, which connects AI agents with accelerator control systems, facility knowledge, models, and operational tools. The research will address how agents can reliably perform operational tasks within defined permissions and physical constraints, with appropriate human oversight. The position is part of MOAT-Core, a multi-laboratory DOE Genesis Mission program focused on AI-driven accelerator facilities. In collaboration with accelerator physicists and partner laboratories, you will develop and validate shared capabilities for use across the consortium.

We're here for the same mission, to bring science solutions to the world. Join our team and YOU will play a supporting role in our goal to address global challenges! Have a high level of impact and work for an organization associated with 17 Nobel Prizes!

Why join Berkeley Lab?
We invest in our postdoctoral scholars by offering benefits and resources designed to support your well-being, professional growth, and life outside of work:

• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Retirement savings through the UC Defined Contribution Safe Harbor Plan, with additional voluntary UC retirement savings options available
• 24 days of Personal Time Off (PTO) per fiscal year, plus sick leave and paid holidays
• Eight weeks of Postdoctoral Paid Family Leave for qualifying family and parental needs
• Opportunities to connect, network, and grow through the Berkeley Lab Postdoc Association, including social events, professional development, and scientific exchange
• A collaborative and inclusive culture where you can grow your research career and belong

You will:

• Conduct research on agentic AI for scientific facilities, including agent architectures, tool use, planning, multi-agent orchestration, and human-in-the-loop control.
• Design and develop core components of the agentic AI platform, including knowledge retrieval, tool and skill interfaces to control systems, agent orchestration, and auditing.
• Develop methods to make autonomous agents safe and trustworthy in operations, including permission and safety gating, evaluation and benchmarking, and validation against physics and operational constraints.
• Design and develop the interfaces that connect accelerator control systems, data archives, logbooks, and digital twins with AI agents.
• Collaborate with accelerator physicists to integrate models and operations workflows as reusable, validated tools for AI agents.
• Collaborate with partner facilities in the MOAT-Core consortium to integrate and deploy the platform across different accelerators and control systems.
• Apply sound development practices (testing, CI/CD, documentation, code review) to produce reliable, maintainable open-source software.
• Disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, workshops, and collaboration meetings.
• Participate in ALS-U commissioning activities as they relate to AI systems.
• Comply with LBNL/ALS Environment, Safety, and Health (EH&S) practices and requirements.
• Contribute to a respectful and collaborative work environment.

We are looking for:

• Ph.D. in computer science, physics, engineering, or a related field, awarded within the last 3 years or expected before the appointment start date.
• Less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing and building complex software systems in a research environment.
• Proficient software engineering skills in Python, including modern development practices (version control, testing, documentation).
• Ability to use AI coding tools effectively and critically, including reviewing and validating generated code.
• Working knowledge of machine learning methods and of large language models.
• Ability to work independently and effectively in a multidisciplinary team of physicists, software engineers, controls engineers, and operations staff.
• Good written and oral communication skills; ability to present research results effectively.
• Ability to foster constructive, respectful, and cooperative workplace relationships.

Desired skills/knowledge:

• Research experience with LLM-based agents, tool use, retrieval-augmented generation, or autonomous AI systems.
• Experience at an accelerator facility or with other large-scale scientific instrumentation.
• Experience with agent frameworks and protocols (e.g., Model Context Protocol) and LLM evaluation.
• Experience with containerization (Docker), CI/CD pipelines, distributed systems, and API design.
• Familiarity with control systems and data acquisition for scientific instrumentation (e.g., EPICS, Bluesky, ophyd).
• Contributions to open-source scientific software.

Additional information:

• Application date: Priority consideration will be given to candidates who apply by November 16, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the job posting is removed.
• Appointment type: This is a full-time 2-year, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
• Salary range: This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes. The salary range for this position is $5,957 - $9,234/month and is expected to start at $8,266/month or above based on a step schedule. Postdoctoral positions are paid on a step schedule per union contract and salaries will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral experience.
• Background check: This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• Work modality: Work will be primarily performed at: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. A REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification is required to access Berkeley Lab sites (for more information click here).

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer. For additional information, click here.