Job Details

Temporary Researcher

Requisition Number: 70890
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: Research Faculty
Schedule: Part Time
Posting Close Date: 03-Apr-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The MBEAM Laboratory, within the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, is seeking a temporary researcher to assist in the setup and design of vacuum hardware for molecular beam studies of gas-surface interactions on aerospace materials. CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are


Research in the MBEAM Laboratory is focused on gas-surface interactions that are relevant to hypersonic flows and spacecraft interactions with the residual atmosphere in the low Earth orbital (LEO) environment. There are additional projects aimed at understanding the ablation phenomena of materials in these environments. The main techniques used for this experimental research are molecular beam-surface scattering, molecular beam exposures of material samples, molecular beam sampling mass spectrometry, as well as surface analysis by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron microscopy. Projects often involve close collaborations with theoreticians or modelers and experimentalists with complementary expertise.


What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Conduct and manage testing of candidate satellite materials and subsystems in a hyperthermal atomic oxygen beam environment, including instrumentation of test articles.
• Design and oversee construction of high vacuum and ultrahigh vacuum systems.
• Write computer code as needed to analyze experimental data.
• Participate in general maintenance and organization of MBEAM Lab.
• Daily tasks, including but not limited to:
• Maintenance of vacuum hardware.
• Maintenance of electronics components, lasers, optical spectrometers, and mass spectrometers.
• Maintenance and operation of lasers, especially CO2 TEA lasers.
• Conducting exposures of materials to a beam of hyperthermal oxygen atoms.
• Analyzing data using commercial and custom computer programs.
• Analyze samples with various surface analysis techniques: profilometry, SEM, AFM, XPS.
• Organizing laboratory.
• Cataloging laboratory equipment.
• Ordering supplies.
• Interacting with MBEAM Laboratory students, post-docs, and staff, as well as external collaborators, external sponsors, and facilities personnel.

What We Can Offer


The hire rate for this temporary, part-time position is $28.00 - $32.00 per hour.


Benefits

Temporary positions at the University of Colorado are not benefits-eligible, however, all positions are eligible for paid sick leave.

Be Statements

Be excited. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.
• United States citizenship.

What You Will Need

• Aptitude for operating and maintaining a variety of laboratory hardware.
• Ability and motivation to learn unfamiliar science and engineering topics.
• Meticulous, careful, and thoughtful at carrying out tasks.
• Interest in satellite technology for low Earth orbit.
• Sufficient desire and work ethic to accomplish goals.
• Good organizational skills - of both physical objects and thoughts.
• Work well with others.
• Sufficient maturity to work independently and represent the lab to others.

Special Instructions


To apply, please submit the following materials as individual files:

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume/CV
3. (Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version (if applicable) as an Optional attachment.

One letter of recommendation will be required from the finalist. We will reach out to collect this letter later in the search process.

For full consideration, please apply by April 3, 2026.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.


To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Temporary-Researcher/70890







Copyright 2025 Jobelephant.com Inc. All rights reserved.

Posted by the FREE value-added recruitment advertising agency
jeid-9be17d034ea16140be614382fa1affb2