Detonation Physics Postdoctoral Research Associate

What You Will Do

The Shock and Detonation Physics Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking an outstanding candidate for a postdoctoral position as part of the new Strategic Partnership and Accelerated Research Collaboration (SPARC) program between LANL and the University of Michigan (U-M). This joint‑research environment is located on the U‑M campus in Ann Arbor, MI and co‑locates LANL scientists with U‑M faculty and students to enable unique collaboration opportunities and scientific breakthroughs.

The position will be located at the SPARC center in Ann Arbor, MI.

This position has broad scope for the development of new computational tools for the simulation and analysis of shocks/detonations within compressible flow regimes, including the development of physics‑based models and simulation capabilities, as well as the development of novel AI/ML capabilities within this field. This position will foster expertise in the numerical simulation of condensed‑phase and gaseous explosives, high‑speed compressible flows, verification and validation, and the modeling of both complex and idealized reactive flows.

• A Ph.D. in Computational Science, Engineering, or Applied Mathematics
• Background in high‑speed compressible flow physics of gaseous and/or condensed phase materials
• Proficiency in Python, modern Fortran, and/or C++
• Strong record of publications commensurate with experience
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to obtain a DOE Q Clearance, which typically requires US Citizenship
• Education/
  
  Experience:
  
  A Ph.D. in Computational Science, Engineering, or Applied Mathematics completed within the last five years or soon to be completed.

• Please consider the following additional qualifications, and note that not every applicant must have experience in each topic:
• Experience with numerical simulation of detonating flows and energetics
• Experience with the development of reactive flow models
• Experience with subscale modeling approaches in reactive flows
• Experience in parametrization of gaseous and condense‑phased explosive constitutive models
• Experience with experimental optimization and design
• Experience with machine‑learning techniques for data analysis

• This position will be located at the SPARC center located at the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor.
• Applicants should submit a CV and cover letter. The cover letter should be composed of a one-page career narrative followed by a bulleted list of the applicant's relevant experience for each requirement.
• Anticipate active participation in academic scientific conferences, including the International Symposium on Combustion, the International Conference on Numerical Combustion, the International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems, and more.
• For more information about SPARC, please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-sparc

For more details regarding this position, please contact Stephen Voelkel svoelkel

The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

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.

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
• Fre…