Sigma-1 Process Modeling Post-Doctoral Research Associate

About the role

Sigma-1 Process Modeling Post-Doctoral Research Associate

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational models for manufacturing process development, optimization, materials compatibility, and lifetime prediction.
• Support a broad range of metals and materials processing efforts, with a primary emphasis on casting, heat treatment, thermal-mechanical distortion, and process-structure-property relationships.
• Work with a mentor and interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, technicians, and technologists to build predictive models, validate those models against experimental data, and translate results into actionable guidance for Los Alamos National Laboratory mission programs.
• Conduct independent research in small teams, communicate results clearly, and support smooth handoff of validated models or findings for future application.
• Communicate results through oral briefings, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations.
• Contribute to the technical direction of their project with their mentor, and work effectively in a team-based research and experimental facility environment.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and validating computational simulation models for materials, manufacturing processes, or coupled physical phenomena.
• Demonstrated experience with multiphysics, finite element, molecular dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, or related process modeling tools such as Abaqus, ANSYS, COMSOL, STAR-CCM+, Flow3D, OpenFOAM, MOOSE, LAMMPS, MATLAB, Python-based simulation workflows, or comparable commercial or custom software.
• Programming or scripting experience, preferably with Python, C++, Java, MATLAB, or a comparable language used for model development, data analysis, workflow automation, or numerical simulation.
• Technical knowledge relevant to one or more of the following areas: heat transfer, solidification, diffusion, fluid flow, thermodynamics, kinetics, microstructure evolution, thermal-mechanical deformation, residual stress, corrosion, or materials compatibility.
• Ability to conduct independent research while working effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, including the ability to document research methods, present technical findings, and communicate with scientists, engineers, technicians, technologists, and program stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to publish research in peer-reviewed journals, present at technical conferences, and contribute to proposals for research and development funding.
• Ability to work successfully in a complex regulatory environment and experimental facility.
• Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which normally requires U.S. citizenship.

Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, metallurgical and materials engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, applied physics, computational engineering, or a related field completed within the last five years, or soon to be completed, is required.

Skills

• Research experience in casting, heat treatment, thermal-mechanical distortion, residual stress prediction, or process modeling for metallic materials.
• Experience coupling simulation results with experimental data for calibration, validation, uncertainty quantification, sensitivity analysis, or process optimization.
• Experience with gas-solid interaction, diffusion, materials compatibility, corrosion, or lifetime prediction models.
• Experience using artificial intelligence, machine learning, surrogate modeling, reduced-order modeling, or optimization methods in combination with physics-based simulation.
• Experience with commercial or open-source engineering tools such as COMSOL, Abaqus, STAR-CCM+, Flow3D, OpenFOAM, MOOSE, LAMMPS, MATLAB, CREO, SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Catia, AutoCAD, or related tools.
• Hands-on or collaborative experience with manufacturing or materials-processing experiments, particularly casting, heat treating, forming, or other metals-processing operations.
• Demonstrated record of working safely and productively in laboratory, manufacturing, industrial, or regulated experimental environments.
• Self-motivated research style, technical curiosity, and a record of contributing effectively within small interdisciplinary teams.
• Active DOE Q clearance or other active federal security clearance.

Benefits

See details in the "Additional Details" section.

Pay

Details on pay are not specified in the job posting.

Schedule

Details on schedule are not specified in the job posting.