Design Physics Division - Postdoctoral Researcher: Planetary Defense

LLNL • Livermore, CA

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

We have an opening for a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Planetary Defense Group. This opportunity is intended for individuals who have finished their PhD and wish to further develop their skills, knowledge, and/or abilities to better position themselves for a future staff position within the Design Physics Division or elsewhere at LLNL. The Planetary Defense Group at LLNL uses high-fidelity hydrocode simulations to address challenging problems related to the mitigation of hazardous asteroids and the consequences of asteroid impacts on Earth. We operate within a larger planetary defense community with collaborations (both domestic and international) spanning the national laboratory complex, other government agencies, and academic institutions. We primarily focus on dynamic, high-strain-rate events. Past projects have involved simulating the NASA DART impact on Dimorphos to better understand how impact ejecta affects deflection, constructing a simplified model for the deflection of an asteroid with a nuclear explosive device, developing new hydrocode methods to better model asteroid airbursts, and validating our codes against relevant experiments. This position is in the Design Physics Division within the Strategic Deterrence (SD) Directorate. This position may offer a hybrid schedule, which includes the flexibility to work from home one or more days per week, after a probationary period. The specifics of the hybrid schedule, including the exact number of days required in the office and virtual work options, may vary based on the needs of the team and the organization.

Requirements

• Ability to secure and maintain a U.S. DOE Q-level security clearance which requires U.S. citizenship.
• PhD in a related physical science, engineering or applied mathematics discipline.
• Experience in high-quality research in a relevant field, demonstrating both detailed understanding and a broad perspective.
• Demonstrated significant accomplishments in experimental science, numerical simulations and modeling, and/or the application of theoretical techniques.
• Experience developing innovative solutions to scientific and technical problems.
• Demonstrated proficient verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment and present and explain technical information.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Python and HPC systems.

Responsibilities

• Build detailed multiphysics models using LLNL-based codes and simulation tools.
• Run your models on some of the largest HPC clusters in the world.
• Draw insights from simulations results to inform collaborators and stakeholders.
• Adapt and improve existing tools to advance our modeling capabilities.
• Pursue independent (but complementary) research interests and interact with a broad spectrum of scientists internally and externally to the Laboratory.
• Publish research results in peer-reviewed scientific or technical journals, and present results at external conferences, seminars and/or technical meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (depending on project needs)

What This Job Offers

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