Postdoctoral Research Associate in Computational Acoustics and Materials Characterization
- Req. Number: IRC146752
- Organization : T-3 / Fluid Dynamics And Solid Mechanics
- City, State: Los Alamos, New Mexico
What You Will Do
The Solid Mechanics-Damage and Failure team in the Fluid Dynamics and Solid Mechanics Group of the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to develop theory and computational methods for characterizing materials using laser-generated surface acoustic waves. You will validate orientation determination on single crystals and develop grain-by-grain crystallographic orientation maps of polycrystalline materials, extending the methods to rough and curved surfaces. This research supports nondestructive characterization of engineering materials and components relevant to the Laboratory's national security mission.
You will develop and verify elastic-wave models for crystals, formulate efficient inverse methods for identifying crystallographic orientation, and quantify how cracks, grain boundaries, surface geometry, measurement response, and uncertainty affect orientation maps and selected elastic properties. Working closely with experimental collaborators in MST and SIGMA divisions, you will compare predictions with measurements and identify measurement configurations that provide useful information. The position focuses on theory, computation, and analysis of measurements supplied by the experimental team.
You will communicate progress regularly with your mentor, contribute to technical discussions, and develop an independent research direction within the project. Research products will include documented software and models, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations. You will follow Laboratory safety and security procedures.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
Education and Experience
Desired Qualifications:
Work Environment:
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Note to Applicants:
Please submit a curriculum vitae with publications, contact information for three professional references, and a cover letter describing your computational experience, research interests, and fit to the required and desired qualifications.
An initial two-year appointment is anticipated, with a possible third-year extension subject to performance, available funding, and Laboratory program requirements.
Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947.Instructions on How to Activate/ Create a LANL Jobs Account:
Follow the instructions below if you have ever had an employee Z number, been a contractor, or received Los Alamos Lab insurance coverage to activate your account:
The Solid Mechanics-Damage and Failure team in the Fluid Dynamics and Solid Mechanics Group of the Theoretical Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to develop theory and computational methods for characterizing materials using laser-generated surface acoustic waves. You will validate orientation determination on single crystals and develop grain-by-grain crystallographic orientation maps of polycrystalline materials, extending the methods to rough and curved surfaces. This research supports nondestructive characterization of engineering materials and components relevant to the Laboratory's national security mission.
You will develop and verify elastic-wave models for crystals, formulate efficient inverse methods for identifying crystallographic orientation, and quantify how cracks, grain boundaries, surface geometry, measurement response, and uncertainty affect orientation maps and selected elastic properties. Working closely with experimental collaborators in MST and SIGMA divisions, you will compare predictions with measurements and identify measurement configurations that provide useful information. The position focuses on theory, computation, and analysis of measurements supplied by the experimental team.
You will communicate progress regularly with your mentor, contribute to technical discussions, and develop an independent research direction within the project. Research products will include documented software and models, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations. You will follow Laboratory safety and security procedures.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
- A strong foundation in continuum mechanics, elasticity, elastic-wave propagation, acoustics, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated experience developing or applying numerical models for mechanics or wave-propagation problems, including assessing numerical accuracy.
- Experience with numerical optimization, inverse problems, or parameter estimation for a scientific or engineering application.
- Scientific programming and quantitative data-analysis experience using one or more languages such as Python, C++, Fortran, Julia, or MATLAB.
- Demonstrated research accomplishment and clear written and oral communication, with the ability to work independently and collaborate across disciplines.
Education and Experience
- A Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Acoustics, Physics, Materials Science, Applied Mathematics, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a closely related field is required. Applicants must have completed their Ph.D. within the past five years, or must complete all Ph.D. requirements before the appointment begins.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience or interest in one or more of these areas is desirable; expertise in every area is not expected.
- Anisotropic elasticity, surface acoustic waves, laser ultrasonics, or spatially resolved acoustic spectroscopy.
- Crystallographic orientation, crystal symmetry, texture, or grain-scale modeling of polycrystalline materials.
- Wave propagation and scattering at rough boundaries, curved surfaces, or material interfaces.
- Sensitivity analysis, uncertainty quantification, Bayesian inference, or informative measurement design.
- Efficient numerical algorithms, parallel computing, or graphics processing unit acceleration.
- Surrogate modeling or scientific machine learning applied to physical models or measurements.
Work Environment:
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Note to Applicants:
Please submit a curriculum vitae with publications, contact information for three professional references, and a cover letter describing your computational experience, research interests, and fit to the required and desired qualifications.
An initial two-year appointment is anticipated, with a possible third-year extension subject to performance, available funding, and Laboratory program requirements.
Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
- PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
- Dental and vision insurance
- Free basic life and disability insurance
- Paid childbirth and parental leave
- Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
- Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
- Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
- Onsite gyms and wellness programs
- Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947.Instructions on How to Activate/ Create a LANL Jobs Account:
Follow the instructions below if you have ever had an employee Z number, been a contractor, or received Los Alamos Lab insurance coverage to activate your account:
- Select the Click Here button if you have been employed with the Lab or received insurance coverage.
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