Postdoctoral Associate

Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA

2d • $63,480 - $65,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Intelligent Design Optimization (IDOpt) lab and the Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Center for Advanced Vehicles at the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Tech invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate to conduct research in advanced aircraft design, multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization (MDAO), and model-based systems engineering (MBSE). The successful candidate will contribute to a NASA-funded research program (University Leadership Initiative) developing methods and open-source computational tools for certification-driven aircraft design.

The primary focus of this position will be the development and application of computational methods for aircraft conceptual design. The researcher will develop and integrate aircraft disciplinary models within MDAO workflows and investigate methods for incorporating certification considerations directly into aircraft design and optimization. The researcher will also contribute to the integration of MDAO with MBSE to enable requirements-driven aircraft design. This work will involve connecting aircraft requirements, architectures, geometry, analysis models, and optimization workflows so that changes in requirements can be traced through the aircraft design process and used to efficiently conduct new design and trade studies.

The project will demonstrate these capabilities through aircraft design studies of increasing complexity, including electrified aircraft configurations. The successful candidate will work as part of a multi-institutional research team involving Virginia Tech, other universities, NASA, and aerospace industry partners. The candidate will also contribute to the development and release of open-source research software, preparation of peer-reviewed publications, presentation of research results, and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate researchers.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering or a closely related field by the time of appointment.
• Ph.D. must have been awarded within the past four years with at least one year of eligibility remaining.
• Demonstrated research experience in aircraft design, including conceptual or preliminary aircraft design, aircraft sizing, or multidisciplinary aircraft analysis.
• Experience developing scientific computing or engineering analysis software in Python using object-oriented programming principles.
• Experience developing or applying aircraft design and performance simulations that integrate three or more relevant disciplines, such as aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, flight dynamics, stability and control, controls, or powertrain systems.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and contribute effectively within a collaborative, multidisciplinary research team.
• Experience presenting technical research at an international aerospace or aviation conference, such as AIAA SciTech Forum or AIAA AVIATION Forum.
• First-author publication in a peer-reviewed engineering or scientific journal.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with NASA OpenMDAO or similar multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization frameworks.
• Experience with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) and associated methods and tools, including SysML and MagicDraw/Cameo.
• Experience with hybrid-electric or electrified aircraft sizing and design, including propulsion and energy-system integration.
• Experience with OpenVSP for aircraft geometry definition, modeling, or analysis.
• Experience developing or integrating multidisciplinary aircraft analysis models involving three or more areas such as aerodynamics, propulsion, weights, structures, performance, stability and control, flight dynamics, or reliability.
• Experience formulating and solving aircraft design optimization problems, particularly multidisciplinary or gradient-based optimization problems.
• Experience developing research-quality software collaboratively using modern software-development practices.
• Experience mentoring undergraduate or graduate researchers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and integrate aircraft disciplinary models within MDAO workflows.
• Investigate methods for incorporating certification considerations directly into aircraft design and optimization.
• Contribute to the integration of MDAO with MBSE to enable requirements-driven aircraft design.
• Connect aircraft requirements, architectures, geometry, analysis models, and optimization workflows.
• Demonstrate capabilities through aircraft design studies of increasing complexity, including electrified aircraft configurations.
• Work as part of a multi-institutional research team.
• Contribute to the development and release of open-source research software.
• Prepare peer-reviewed publications.
• Present research results.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate researchers.

Benefits

• Professional development opportunities
• University shared governance participation

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree