About Sandia Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:
- Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
- Extraordinary co-workers
- Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
- Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
- Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
- Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*
World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: benefits vary by job classification.
What Your Job Will Be Like Do you want to perform innovative research impacting radiation effects sciences, electromagnetics, and high energy density sciences? Are you interested in developing transformational pulsed power capabilities at one of the world's premier pulsed power facilities? Are you passionate about research that impacts a broad range of problems of national importance? If so, you could become a Maxwell Fellow at Sandia and join our dynamic team!
The James Clerk Maxwell Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship, established in honor of the founder of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, supports research that impacts broad-ranging national security areas in the broadly defined domains of radiation effects, electrical and electromagnetic sciences, high energy density sciences and pulsed power physics and/or engineering that enable these domains. While the Maxwell name does highlight the electromagnetic and pulsed power topics, we want to emphasize that the Maxwell Fellowship is open to applicants in all of these topical areas. As a Sandia Maxwell Postdoctoral Fellow, you will:
- Address complex problems in support of broad-ranging mission areas.
- Foster creativity and advance exploration at the forefront of the domains listed above.
- Contribute to high-risk, high-value research and development.
- Collaborate with highly motivated and talented researchers on challenging research questions using state-of-the-art resources.
- Disseminate your work via leading publication and conference venues.
The selected Fellow will receive a two-year appointment with a highly competitive salary, moving expenses and a generous professional travel allowance. You will pursue a combination of self-directed research and integration with existing Sandia research and development (R&D) projects, under the guidance of Sandia staff mentors. The self-directed research will be funded through the Radiation, Electrical, and High Energy Density Sciences (REHEDS) Research Foundation, an investment area under Sandia's Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program. You are expected to publish the results of your work in leading journals and present it at top-tier conferences. An intent of this fellowship is to provide early career support and selected candidates may bid on regular Sandia positions as internal candidates, and in some cases may be converted to regular career positions during their term, if warranted by ongoing operational needs, continuing availability of funds, and satisfactory job performance.
TO APPLY, PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING: Click "Apply for Job" on this page and submit a single PDF file containing your cover letter, CV, and a 5-page research proposal (references are encouraged and are not included in the 5-page limit). Have three letters of recommendation submitted to with "2026 Maxwell Fellowship" as the subject line. Complete applications received through December 3, 2025 will receive full consideration. Selections are anticipated by early spring. You can email with any questions or for help identifying a staff member to provide a Sandia perspective on your proposed research.
For more information on the Maxwell Fellowship please visit:
Qualifications We Require - PhD in a field relevant to radiation effects, electrical and electromagnetic sciences, high energy density sciences or to pulsed power, conferred within the past three years, or anticipated completion of PhD. requirements by commencement of appointment
- Your background includes the appropriate research experience, as evidenced by a strong record of research publications and presentations
- Your proposed research is compelling with potential to be transformational for REHEDS and/or pulsed power
- You can acquire a DOE Q level security clearance, which requires US Citizenship
Qualifications We Desire Ideally, your background would also include: (not all areas are expected of every candidate)
- Experience in REHEDS and/or pulsed power
- Excellent written and oral communication skills as demonstrated by participation in scientific conferences and publication in high impact journals
- Ability to learn, deal with roadblocks, and be creative in solving problems
- Demonstrated interest and/or experience in service to the nation
- Ability to work in collaborative and team environment and to help the team succeed
- Ability to conduct self-directed research and thrive in dynamic, interdisciplinary research environments to contribute on problems comprising diverse application domains
- Proven research community leadership through activities such as participation in student or professional organizations, outreach activities, etc.
- R elated professional experience such as internships in industry or at other national labs, participation in visiting research programs, etc.
About Our Team One of the country's largest research facilities, Sandia employs over 14,000 people in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Livermore, California, in an exciting and highly collaborative multidisciplinary work environment. Our mission areas include nuclear weapons, energy, nonproliferation, defense, infrastructure, homeland security, counterterrorism, and cybersecurity. We serve as stewards of important capabilities for the nation in radiation, electrical and high energy density sciences and we have some of the world's most powerful pulsed power facilities including Z, HERMES III and Saturn (for more information, see Pulsed-Power Science and Technology)
Posting Duration This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.
Security Clearance Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.
EEO All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.
NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.
If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.
