Sr. Computational Fluid Dynamics Analyst

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team of over 7,000 dedicated individuals fosters an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are valued, supporting our mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges.

About the role

The Advanced Engineering Technologies (AET) Group is seeking a senior computational fluid dynamics analyst specializing in the use and development of computational simulation software for complex aerodynamic systems in support of the nonproliferation mission space. This position involves creating and using custom-developed and off-the-shelf computational approaches in a research and development atmosphere.

AET resides within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division (NND) at ORNL, contributing to world-class research, technology development, and systems analysis related to nonproliferation and counterproliferation. The group focuses on advanced approaches to operation, characterization, and analysis of nuclear fuel cycle processes.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with principal investigators and project management to develop simulation software modeling complex system flows relevant to the nuclear nonproliferation mission space.
• Serve as a heavy end user of generated tools, participate in model validation, identify workflow improvements, and communicate issues to the development team.
• Analyze ad hoc problem sets relevant to the nuclear nonproliferation mission space.
• Contribute to R&D projects, report on results, and brief stakeholders throughout project lifecycles.
• Work effectively in a team environment and independently, documenting work via technical reports, papers, and presentations.
• Participate in research proposal development.
• Interface with principal investigators, management, engineers, fabricators, modelers, and test campaign personnel.

Requirements

• M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering or related field with a minimum of 12 years of related experience; or a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or related field with a minimum of 6 years of related experience.
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal, presentation, and writing abilities.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance from the Department of Energy (DOE).
• Pass a pre-placement drug test and participate in an ongoing random drug testing program (WSAP).
• Subject to random polygraph testing due to SCI requirements.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card, requiring a favorable post-employment background investigation, including a declaration of illegal drug activities within the last year (marijuana and cannabis derivatives are included, regardless of state laws).

For Foreign National Candidates: If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and must obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) risk determination. After meeting the three-year residency requirement, you will need to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in computational fluid dynamics analysis, with emphasis on mesh generation, steady and unsteady flows, sensitivity studies, and validation activities.
• Experience in computational modeling, including numerical analysis, finite element methods, and software engineering.
• Proficiency in software development using C++ and Python.
• Ability to work flexible hours and travel as needed.
• Experience in an R&D and/or testing environment.
• Experience executing in a high-performance computing environment.
• Use of AI/ML techniques to develop surrogate models and support scientific discovery.
• Experience in multiphysics modeling and parallel programming on large-scale computational clusters.
• Expertise in Matlab programming.
• Active TS/SCI Clearance.