Post-Doctoral Fellow, Mechanical Engineering

About the role

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow position supporting the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Advanced Computational and Experimental Materials (ACME) Program. The successful candidate will conduct multidisciplinary research investigating the dynamic behavior of advanced structural materials subjected to extreme loading and environmental conditions through the integration of advanced experimentation, computational modeling, constitutive model development, and microstructural characterization.

Research will focus on refractory alloys, titanium alloys, and other advanced structural materials subjected to high strain-rate loading across ambient, elevated-temperature, and cryogenic environments. The successful candidate will work closely with faculty investigators, graduate students, collaborating national laboratories, and partner universities while helping lead large multidisciplinary research efforts.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and analyze experimental investigations of advanced structural materials under high strain-rate loading.
• Perform and further develop Kolsky pressure bar testing in compression and tension across ambient, elevated-temperature, and cryogenic environments.
• Design and conduct thermomechanical testing using Gleeble physical simulation systems.
• Perform microstructural characterization using optical microscopy, SEM, EBSD, and related characterization techniques.
• Develop, calibrate, and validate constitutive material models, including Johnson-Cook, Mechanical Threshold Stress (MTS), Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW), Zerilli-Armstrong, and related strength and failure models.
• Develop finite element simulations supporting interpretation of experimental observations and constitutive model validation.
• Perform fragment recovery, fragment characterization, and post-test forensic analyses following dynamic loading experiments.
• Assist in developing new experimental methods, diagnostics, and laboratory capabilities.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers.
• Contribute to proposal development, sponsor interactions, technical reports, conference presentations, and peer-reviewed publications (at least 2 high-impact research articles).
• Collaborate with national laboratories and external research partners on large multi-institutional research programs.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Demonstrated experience conducting independent research in experimental mechanics, dynamic material behavior, or high strain-rate mechanics.
• Experience operating high-rate experimental systems.
• Experience with Kolsky (split-Hopkinson) pressure bar testing.
• Familiarity with constitutive modeling of metallic materials.
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently while contributing to multidisciplinary research teams.
• Experience mentoring undergraduate or graduate researchers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with refractory alloys, titanium alloys, or other advanced structural metals.
• Experience supporting large federally funded research programs.
• Experience collaborating with national laboratories.
• Experience with elevated-temperature and cryogenic mechanical testing.
• Experience operating Gleeble thermomechanical simulation systems.
• Experience developing and calibrating constitutive models such as Johnson-Cook, Mechanical Threshold Stress (MTS), Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW), Zerilli-Armstrong, or related material models.
• Experience working on synchrotron beam systems for material characterization.
• Experience with additive manufacturing of metallic materials.
• Experience characterizing ceramic materials or ceramic matrix composites.
• Experience with fragment analysis and post-impact material characterization.
• Experience with optical diagnostics including Digital Image Correlation (DIC), high-speed imaging, infrared thermography, or related techniques.
• Demonstrated experience publishing peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Experience preparing technical proposals and sponsor reports.
• Proficiency using LaTeX for scientific writing.

Benefits

• Flexible health and dental care options.
• 13 paid holidays per year, including a week-long winter break.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution.
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents).
• Free RTD Ecopass for public transportation.
• Access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games.
• Access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes, swimming pool, equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center).
• On-campus daycare center.

Pay

$68,000 annually. Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training, and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.