Physics Visa Sponsorship Jobs in New York
New York is one of the top states for physics visa sponsorship jobs, with demand concentrated at research universities like Columbia, Cornell, and NYU, national labs including Brookhaven, and private-sector employers in finance, semiconductors, and medical technology across New York City and the Hudson Valley.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is entering an exciting new chapter with one of the newest and most advanced synchrotron facilities in the world. National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) enables the study of material properties and functions with nanoscale resolution and exquisite sensitivity by providing world-leading capabilities for X-ray imaging and high-resolution energy analysis. This facility is open to users from academia and industry, and its operations are at a time when the world enters a new era with a global economy fueled largely by scientific discoveries and technological innovations. NSLS-II provides the research tools needed to foster new discoveries and create breakthroughs in critical areas such as energy security, environment, and human health.
Position Description
The Optics and Metrology Group at NSLS-II seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to advance next-generation, non-contact optical fabrication technologies. The successful candidate will contribute to: (1) enhancing removal rate and enabling in-situ beam size and shape control for ion beam figuring (IBF); (2) research & development of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet/Figuring (APPJ/APPF) for efficient figuring and smoothing; and (3) Machine Learning (ML) approaches that improve determinism and predictability across IBF and APPF processes.
This position supports an integrated program encompassing advanced control for IBF, APPJ/APPF capability development, hybrid metrology (coordinate measurement, deflectometry, interferometry), and physics-informed ML. The appointee will collaborate closely with internal teams and external plasma experts to innovate damage-free, roughness-preserving fabrication methods and deliver experimentally validated mirror demonstrations.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Einzel-Lens–Enabled IBF
- Design, model, integrate and test an Einzel lens and diaphragm module for IBF, enabling real-time tuning of beam current density, spot size, and focal position.
-
Develop calibration and diagnostic routines (beam profile, shape, current, stability) and implement closed-loop beam conditioning informed by metrology feedback.
-
Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet/Figuring (APPJ/APPF)
- Develop process recipes (gases, RF/DC power, standoff distance, dwell strategy) that achieve high removal efficiency while preserving surface roughness on Si and SiO₂ substrates.
-
Establish plasma and thermal diagnostics (emission, temperature, plume imaging) and integrate in-situ or near-line metrology (e.g., optical coordinate measuring machine) for rapid iteration.
-
Develop physics-informed and data-driven models to predict dwell time, raster strategies, and beam/plasma parameters to meet figure and roughness specifications with fewer iterations.
- Apply metrology tools (e.g. interferometry, deflectometry, AFM, SEM) to quantify figure, slope, and roughness, correlating results with process parameters to refine models.
- Publish results in peer-reviewed journal articles and present findings to management and at scientific conferences.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ph.D. in Physics, Plasma, Materials, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience in optical surface characterization (e.g., AFM, SEM, coherence-scanning interferometry) and statistical analysis of figure and roughness data.
- Hands-on experience with energy-beam surface processing (e.g. APPJ, IBF, Fluid-jet polishing).
- Strong analytical, experimental design, and problem-solving skills, with effective written and oral communication abilities.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Background in surface, materials science or chemistry (e.g., sputtering and etching mechanisms, plasma-surface interactions, roughness evolution).
- Experience designing, building or operating IBF systems, Einzel lenses, high-voltage or vacuum hardware, gas handling systems, or plasma diagnostics.
- Experience applying ML to process modeling or optimization (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow), particularly physics-informed or reinforcement learning approaches.
- Proficiency in control, data acquisition, and instrumentation software (e.g., Python/C++), including experiment automation and data processing.
Other Information:
- Occasional travel requirements
- Work arrangement: On-site
- Candidates must have received a Ph.D. by the commencement of employment.
- BNL policy requires that after obtaining their PhD, eligible candidates for research associate appointments may not exceed a combined total of 5 years of relevant work experience as a post-doc and/or in an R&D position, excluding time associated with family planning, military service, illness or other life-changing events.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $71,900.00 - $88,000.00 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program
Brookhaven National Laboratory requires all non-badged personnel including visitors to produce a REAL-ID or REAL-ID compliant documentation to access Brookhaven National Laboratory – view more information at www.bnl.gov/real-id. This is due to nationwide identification requirements for federal site access as required by the federal REAL ID Act. Those not in possession of a REAL ID-compliant document will not be permitted to access the site which includes access to the Laboratory for interviews.
As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program.
About us
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. 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
BSA 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
INTRODUCTION
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is entering an exciting new chapter with one of the newest and most advanced synchrotron facilities in the world. National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) enables the study of material properties and functions with nanoscale resolution and exquisite sensitivity by providing world-leading capabilities for X-ray imaging and high-resolution energy analysis. This facility is open to users from academia and industry, and its operations are at a time when the world enters a new era with a global economy fueled largely by scientific discoveries and technological innovations. NSLS-II provides the research tools needed to foster new discoveries and create breakthroughs in critical areas such as energy security, environment, and human health.
Position Description
The Optics and Metrology Group at NSLS-II seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to advance next-generation, non-contact optical fabrication technologies. The successful candidate will contribute to: (1) enhancing removal rate and enabling in-situ beam size and shape control for ion beam figuring (IBF); (2) research & development of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet/Figuring (APPJ/APPF) for efficient figuring and smoothing; and (3) Machine Learning (ML) approaches that improve determinism and predictability across IBF and APPF processes.
This position supports an integrated program encompassing advanced control for IBF, APPJ/APPF capability development, hybrid metrology (coordinate measurement, deflectometry, interferometry), and physics-informed ML. The appointee will collaborate closely with internal teams and external plasma experts to innovate damage-free, roughness-preserving fabrication methods and deliver experimentally validated mirror demonstrations.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Einzel-Lens–Enabled IBF
- Design, model, integrate and test an Einzel lens and diaphragm module for IBF, enabling real-time tuning of beam current density, spot size, and focal position.
-
Develop calibration and diagnostic routines (beam profile, shape, current, stability) and implement closed-loop beam conditioning informed by metrology feedback.
-
Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet/Figuring (APPJ/APPF)
- Develop process recipes (gases, RF/DC power, standoff distance, dwell strategy) that achieve high removal efficiency while preserving surface roughness on Si and SiO₂ substrates.
-
Establish plasma and thermal diagnostics (emission, temperature, plume imaging) and integrate in-situ or near-line metrology (e.g., optical coordinate measuring machine) for rapid iteration.
-
Develop physics-informed and data-driven models to predict dwell time, raster strategies, and beam/plasma parameters to meet figure and roughness specifications with fewer iterations.
- Apply metrology tools (e.g. interferometry, deflectometry, AFM, SEM) to quantify figure, slope, and roughness, correlating results with process parameters to refine models.
- Publish results in peer-reviewed journal articles and present findings to management and at scientific conferences.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ph.D. in Physics, Plasma, Materials, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience in optical surface characterization (e.g., AFM, SEM, coherence-scanning interferometry) and statistical analysis of figure and roughness data.
- Hands-on experience with energy-beam surface processing (e.g. APPJ, IBF, Fluid-jet polishing).
- Strong analytical, experimental design, and problem-solving skills, with effective written and oral communication abilities.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Background in surface, materials science or chemistry (e.g., sputtering and etching mechanisms, plasma-surface interactions, roughness evolution).
- Experience designing, building or operating IBF systems, Einzel lenses, high-voltage or vacuum hardware, gas handling systems, or plasma diagnostics.
- Experience applying ML to process modeling or optimization (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow), particularly physics-informed or reinforcement learning approaches.
- Proficiency in control, data acquisition, and instrumentation software (e.g., Python/C++), including experiment automation and data processing.
Other Information:
- Occasional travel requirements
- Work arrangement: On-site
- Candidates must have received a Ph.D. by the commencement of employment.
- BNL policy requires that after obtaining their PhD, eligible candidates for research associate appointments may not exceed a combined total of 5 years of relevant work experience as a post-doc and/or in an R&D position, excluding time associated with family planning, military service, illness or other life-changing events.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $71,900.00 - $88,000.00 / year. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program
Brookhaven National Laboratory requires all non-badged personnel including visitors to produce a REAL-ID or REAL-ID compliant documentation to access Brookhaven National Laboratory – view more information at www.bnl.gov/real-id. This is due to nationwide identification requirements for federal site access as required by the federal REAL ID Act. Those not in possession of a REAL ID-compliant document will not be permitted to access the site which includes access to the Laboratory for interviews.
As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program.
About us
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. 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
BSA 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
Physics Job Roles in New York
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Search Physics Jobs in New YorkPhysics Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies and institutions sponsor visas for physicists in New York?
Major sponsors include Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, Columbia University, NYU, and Cornell Tech in New York City, along with private-sector employers in quantitative finance, semiconductor manufacturing, and medical imaging. Defense contractors and materials science firms upstate, including those in the Albany NanoTech Complex ecosystem, also have consistent histories of H-1B visa sponsorship for physics roles.
Which visa types are most common for physics roles in New York?
The H-1B is the most common visa for physics professionals in New York, covering roles in research, data science, and engineering where a relevant degree is required. The O-1A applies to physicists with demonstrated distinction through publications, grants, or awards. Postdoctoral researchers at universities often enter on J-1 visa exchange visitor status, while some national laboratory positions use TN visas for Canadian and Mexican nationals.
How to find physics visa sponsorship jobs in New York?
Migrate Mate filters physics job listings in New York specifically to employers with visa sponsorship histories, which saves significant time compared to searching general job boards. You can browse roles by location within the state, including New York City, Long Island, and upstate research corridors. Migrate Mate also provides context on sponsorship patterns, helping you prioritize applications to employers who regularly sponsor physicists.
Which cities and regions in New York have the most physics sponsorship jobs?
New York City, particularly Manhattan and Brooklyn, has the highest concentration of physics sponsorship roles, driven by universities, quantitative finance firms, and technology companies. Long Island is significant due to Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University. The Albany and Troy area hosts semiconductor and nanotechnology employers, while Ithaca anchors Cornell University's research programs in a range of physics disciplines.
Are there any state-specific considerations for physics visa sponsorship jobs in New York?
New York's prevailing wage requirements under the H-1B apply at the state and metro level, meaning wages in New York City are benchmarked against some of the highest regional standards in the country. Physics roles that involve defense research may require security clearances, which can affect visa eligibility for non-U.S. persons. University pipeline programs at SUNY and CUNY campuses also feed a steady supply of OPT-eligible candidates into the sponsorship pipeline.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored physics jobs in New York?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.