Researcher #0086080T

Description

Title: Researcher in Microelectronics and Detector Instrumentation

Position Number: 0086080T

Hiring Unit: College of Engineering

Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Location: University of Hawaii at Manoa

Date Posted: August 5, 2026

Closing Date: September 4, 2026

Salary Minimum: $77,729 Annually 

Appointment Type: 11-month 

Tenure Track: Non-Tenure

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Temporary/Permanent: Temporary

Other Conditions: Renewal is dependent upon availability of funds and satisfactory performance. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, invites applications for a non-tenure track Researcher position. The position involves supporting research in detector instrumentation for applications in particle physics and imaging, including conducting semiconductor sensor fabrication, modeling and characterization; analog, digital and/or mixed-signal circuit design; development of other readout hardware, firmware and software; development of signal processing and reconstruction algorithms; and contributing to technical reports, proposals, peer-reviewed publications and student mentorship. The position will report directly to Dr. Jennifer Ott (ottjenni@hawaii.edu) and is physically based in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Design, simulate, and implement analog, mixed-signal, and/or digital Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for detector readout, especially precision timing and 4D tracking, or waveform sampling architectures, using industry-standard tools (e.g. Cadence).
2. Develop, test, and maintain FPGA firmware for detector control, data acquisition, and real-time signal processing, using VHDL, Verilog, or HLS-based workflows.
3. Develop and implement digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms and image or event reconstruction pipelines for data acquired from semiconductor and/or scintillator-based detector systems.
4. Design and characterize printed circuit boards and hardware systems for integration of ASICs and detector sensors into data acquisition frameworks.
5. Contribute to the characterization of semiconductor sensors and readout electronics, including laboratory measurements (IV/CV, signal response, noise) and test beam campaigns at collaborating institutions.
6. Contribute as applicable to microelectronics fabrication activities in support of research and workforce development.
7. Provide mentorship for graduate research assistants and undergraduate student employees.

1. Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students on research activities within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Physics and Astronomy Department, and with national and international collaborating institutions and experiments.
2. Participate in preparing project reports, research proposals, technical documentation, scientific conference presentations, and peer-reviewed journal articles.
3. Be prepared to travel to national and international scientific conferences and research facilities as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

 

A PhD in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or a closely related field; or a Master’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated research or professional experience in microelectronics design, detector instrumentation, or a closely related area. Demonstrated facility in the techniques of analog or digital circuit design, FPGA development, or detector instrumentation. Fluency in written and spoken English. Experience in mentoring junior researchers or students. Professionalism in meeting and conferring with others.

Desirable Qualifications

 

Candidates are not expected to meet all desirable qualifications; the list reflects the breadth of activities and expertise within the research group.

1. Demonstrated experience in ASIC design for particle physics, medical imaging, or related detector applications, including custom analog or mixed-signal design; experience with low-jitter front-end amplifiers, time-to-digital converters (TDCs), charge-sensitive amplifiers (CSAs), or discriminator circuits is particularly desirable.
2. Demonstrated experience in FPGA firmware development for data acquisition or real-time signal processing in the context of semiconductor instrumentation.
3. Experience with waveform sampling ASICs (e.g., switched-capacitor arrays) or precision timing readout systems, including low-jitter front-end design, time-walk correction, or TDC integration.
4. Familiarity with radiation-hard design techniques and/or radiation-tolerance evaluation methods for electronics and semiconductor sensors operating in high-radiation environments.
5. Experience with digital signal processing and/or image or event reconstruction algorithms for detector data, including hit finding, pulse shape analysis, or time-of-arrival extraction.
6. Experience integrating ASICs and sensors into complete data acquisition systems, including DAQ software development.
7. Proficiency in programming languages relevant to instrumentation and data analysis (Python, C/C , MATLAB, or similar).
8. Familiarity with simulation and modeling tools for detector systems and radiation-matter interaction (e.g. Geant4, Synopsys Sentaurus TCAD, Allpix²) and/or semiconductor sensor characterization techniques, including IV/CV measurements, signal injection (laser, radioactive sources), and test beam operation.
9. Familiarity with machine learning techniques applicable to front-end electronics, trigger, or data encoding/compression (e.g. HLS4ML, PyTorch, TensorFlow).

1. Experience with microelectronics fabrication processes relevant to sensor or ASIC development (e.g. thin film deposition, lithography, wafer processing).
2. Experience working within large international scientific collaborations.
3. Experience as a senior postdoctoral fellow, lead design engineer, or equivalent in semiconductor detector instrumentation or readout electronics, with demonstrated ability to independently drive a technical project from conception to completion.
4. Experience in research project management and/or participation in the acquisition of external research funding, combined with the ability to pursue research independently and collaboratively and a record of scholarly output such as peer-reviewed publications and/or technical reports.
5. Demonstrated ability to apply laboratory safety rules and procedures and maintain safe working conditions.

To Apply

 

Only electronic applications are accepted via NEOGOV. Click on the “Apply” button in the top right corner of the NEOGOV screen to complete an application and attach required documents to the online application. The applicants should submit: (1) a cover letter outlining how they meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position and any Desirable Qualifications; (2) a curriculum vitae detailing research accomplishments, including a publication list; (3) graduate transcripts (unofficial copies accepted, however, official transcripts will be required upon hire); and (4) the names, addresses, e-mail, and telephone numbers of 3 references.

NOTE: If you have not applied for a position before using NEOGOV, you will need to create an account. The maximum file size to upload/attach is 10MB. If the attachment is larger than 10MB, please split the file and upload it as a supplemental attachment.

Inquiries: Dr. Jennifer Ott (ottjenni@hawaii.edu)

EEO, Clery Act, ADA

The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status.  For more information, visit:  https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/

Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.
 
In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawai'i may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.
 
 
Accommodation Request: The University of Hawai'i complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/   

Salary : $77,729