Post-Doctoral Fellow, Mechanical Engineering (multi-scale muscle modeling)

An exciting opportunity to meaningfully contribute to ongoing efforts in advanced multiscale muscle modeling within the NSF-funded, BII: Integrative Movement Sciences Institute. This position will develop fundamental and detailed musculoskeletal models and movement simulations of muscle contraction to evaluate accuracy of model outputs and variation in musculoskeletal capacity. Model and simulation development will be accompanied by comprehensive validation of muscle behavior at the whole-body, tissue, and fiber scales. As a key researcher within IMSI, you will support and build collaborations across multiple institutions and fields. Primary supervisors will be Dr. Anne Silverman and Dr. Katie Knaus in Mechanical Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, with collaborating laboratories led by Dr. Kiisa Nishikawa at Northern Arizona University and Dr. Monica Daley at the University of California Irvine. You will receive mentorship from individuals across domains and career stages, with the professional growth opportunity to develop new projects incorporating junior trainees in biomechanics. Anticipated start date: September 2026.

Responsibilities

• Developing multiscale models of muscle
• Generating multiscale simulations of muscle contraction
• Validating models with experimental biomechanical data
• Collecting and analyzing experimental biomechanical data related to individual musculoskeletal capacity and variation
• Disseminating research results at relevant professional conferences
• Writing multiple publications of experimental, modeling, and simulation results with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team across institutions
• Mentoring junior trainees within the Integrative Movement Sciences Institute
• Engaging in and leading research workshops, summer institute programming, and other institute-wide activities
• Contributing to writing and submission of research proposals to obtain future funding
• Performing other duties as assigned

Requirements

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related biomechanics field obtained by August 2026
• Multiple years’ experience in muscle modeling and movement simulations
• Demonstrated publication record in biomechanics
• CITI Human Subjects Training
• HIPAA and Privacy Act Training

Skills

• Biomechanical data collection and processing
• Musculoskeletal model development and validation in a relevant software package (may include OpenSim, FEBio, Mujoko, SCONE, Anybody, etc.)
• Development and computational analysis of movement simulations
• Statistical design and analysis
• Excellent technical communication
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working across institutions with partners in engineering and biology on collaborative interdisciplinary research projects
• Mentorship experience resulting in technical products from collaborative teams
• Supervision of undergraduate researchers
• Musculoskeletal model development and validation in multiple relevant software packages (may include OpenSim, FEBio, Mujoko, SCONE, Anybody, etc.)
• Familiarity with human musculoskeletal anatomy and muscle physiology

Pay

$69,000 - 74,000 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.

Benefits

• Flexible health and dental care options
• 13 paid holidays per year, including a week-long winter break for the entire campus
• 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 regional bus and light rail
• Free tickets for Mines Athletics home games
• Access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool, and more)
• Equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center
• On-campus daycare center
• Discount programs through the State of Colorado