Postdoctoral Research Associate - Sparse Algorithms

Requisition Id 17201

About the role

The Discrete Algorithms Group at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) seeks a postdoctoral researcher for a two-year position specializing in sparse algorithms. This researcher will focus on advancing secure, trustworthy, and efficient AI solutions for scientific applications by developing state-of-the-art sparse algorithms in matrices, tensors, and networks. These algorithms will support large-scale numerical, scientific, and AI models. The researcher will also disseminate findings through publications and presentations in top-tier peer-reviewed journals and conferences. To conduct this work, the successful candidate will use the world's first exascale system, Frontier, and collaborate with leading experts in machine learning, optimization, electric grid analytics, and scientific imaging. The primary responsibility of this position is designing and implementing sparse algorithms for large-scale scientific and numerical computations. The successful candidate will pursue an ambitious research agenda to drastically advance the state of the art in sparse computation. This research will explore sparse computations both as a unified topic and within three broad pillars: sparse and structured matrix computations, sparse tensor problems, and sparse network problems, as well as their interconnections. These efforts will yield significant theoretical and applied contributions, helping to advance sparse AI and numerical systems globally.

Responsibilities

• Designing novel sparse algorithms — including mixed-precision, energy-efficient, and accelerator-optimized methods — for large-scale numerical, scientific, and/or AI models.
• Demonstrating the scalability of new algorithms on leadership supercomputers for large-scale problems of national and societal interest.
• Developing mathematical analyses to bound the trade-offs between performance, energy efficiency, and time, especially in the context of sparse computations.
• Communicating research via publications and conference presentations in top venues, invited talks, and organized workshops, tutorials, and symposiums.
• Releasing research software as open-source libraries and contributing to community codes.
• Collaborating with domain scientists to apply sparse algorithms to DOE mission applications and mentoring and working with undergraduate and graduate students.

Requirements

• A PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Computational Science, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated depth in at least one of the areas of specialization listed below, evidenced by publications, software, or comparable research output.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience developing and applying HPC algorithms to sparse numerical, scientific, and ML models.
• Special requirements: applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment; appointment length up to 24 months with potential for extension; Real ID compliant identification required; must obtain and maintain a federal PIV card (including Tier 1 background check); foreign national