Postdoctoral Fellow (Civil and Systems Engineering)

Johns Hopkins University • Baltimore, MD

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Civil and Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to conduct research on wildfire resilience and the impacts of wildfires on the built environment and communities. The Postdoctoral Fellow will contribute to the development of innovative research methodologies, computational models, and risk-informed approaches to better understand and enhance the resilience of structures and communities exposed to wildfire hazards. The research may address the interaction between wildfire hazards, the built environment, critical infrastructure, and community recovery, with the goal of advancing strategies to reduce damage, improve resilience, and support effective decision-making. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Professor Thomas Gernay and collaborate with members of the Multi-Hazard Resilient Structures research group and other interdisciplinary research teams.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated research experience relevant to wildfire science, fire engineering, structural engineering, infrastructure resilience, computational mechanics, hazard modeling, or related areas.
• Strong analytical and computational skills.
• Experience with numerical modeling, simulation, and/or scientific programming.
• Record of scholarly research demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to an interdisciplinary research team.

Nice To Haves

• Research experience related to wildfire hazards and their impacts on structures, infrastructure, or communities.
• Experience in fire dynamics, structural fire engineering, multi-hazard engineering, or disaster resilience.
• Experience developing computational or numerical models for complex physical systems.
• Experience with risk and resilience assessment methodologies.
• Knowledge of performance-based engineering or risk-informed decision-making.
• Experience working with large datasets, geospatial data, or hazard modeling tools.
• Demonstrated interest in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of engineering, hazards, resilience, and community systems.
• Doctoral degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research focused on wildfire resilience and the impacts of wildfire hazards on the built environment.
• Develop computational models and simulation tools to assess the vulnerability and performance of structures and infrastructure exposed to wildfire and related extreme hazards.
• Investigate fire behavior and the interaction between wildfire hazards, structures, infrastructure systems, and communities.
• Develop methodologies to assess and enhance the resilience of buildings, critical infrastructure, and communities before, during, and following wildfire events.
• Apply risk-based and performance-based approaches to evaluate mitigation strategies, resilience investments, and recovery planning.
• Conduct computational analyses, data analysis, and numerical simulations to support research objectives.
• Collaborate with faculty, graduate students, researchers, and external partners on interdisciplinary research initiatives.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals and present research findings at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to the development of research proposals and other scholarly activities.
• Assist in mentoring graduate and undergraduate students and contribute to the broader research activities of the group.

What This Job Offers

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