Postdoctoral Scholar - Surgery

Penn State University • Tallahassee, FL

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Penn State College of Medicine, Division of Applied Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Surgery, in Hershey, PA, is seeking a highly driven post-doctoral scholar capable of joining an internationally recognized team developing next-generation mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, including a pediatric ventricular assist device (Child Pump) and continuous-flow blood pumps. The applicant must have a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a closely related field. This position is on campus, in person. The Division of Applied Biomedical Engineering consists of 5 faculty members with expertise in mechanical engineering, fluid dynamics, electrical engineering, and biomaterials. In addition, there are 9 full-time staff members specializing in computational methods, in vitro and in vivo testing, mechanical design, machining, assembly, and polymer fabrication. The Division collaborates closely with surgeons, cardiologists, veterinarians, and commercial partners, and focuses on the research and development of devices to treat heart and pulmonary failure.

Requirements

• Recent PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field, with significant experience in mechanical circulatory support systems or rotary blood pump development
• Demonstrated expertise in one or more of the following: turbomachinery design, tribology, hydrodynamic bearings, CFD/FSI modeling, or pump hydraulic testing
• Proficiency with engineering software such as CAD (e.g. SolidWorks), CFD solvers (e.g., CONVERGE, ANSYS Fluent, ABAQUS), and FEM/FSI tools
• Strong critical thinking skills, rigorous training in the scientific method, and the ability to synthesize scientific literature to generate novel hypotheses
• Excellent organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and strong written and verbal communication skills
• PA State Police Criminal Background Check
• PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form
• Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check

Responsibilities

• Designing and optimizing rotary blood pump components, including impellers/rotors, volutes, and hydrodynamic bearings
• Conducting computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulations to evaluate pump hydraulic performance, blood damage (hemolysis, vWF, platelets), and bearing clearance
• Planning and executing in vitro experimental testing, including hydraulic performance characterization and blood-based assays
• Supporting in vivo (large-animal) studies in collaboration with the surgical and veterinary team
• Analyzing and interpreting data, preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication, and presenting at scientific conferences
• Contributing to the preparation of grant applications and progress reports
• Mentoring graduate and undergraduate students

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

What This Job Offers

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