Research Engineer - Computational Materials Science

ARCTOS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS•Beavercreek, OH

About The Position

Reach New Heights! ARCTOS Technology Solutions, LLC (ARCTOS) is a fast-growing, technology-oriented small business providing aerospace, defense, and digital solutions, with offices and work sites across the United States. We’re looking for team-oriented innovators eager to tackle interesting challenges, work on important problems, and receive great benefits and employee support. ARCTOS is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Research Scientist to join our team supporting AFRL’s Metals Branch (AFRL/RXNM). This role is focused on maturing high energy diffraction microscopy (HEDM) at synchrotron x-ray sources and coupling these data with crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM) simulation results to enable next-generation machine learning (ML) reduced order models. The Research Scientist will develop and execute a plan to substantially accelerate beamline experimental throughput, data postprocessing, and repository deployment. This position requires a strong background in the mechanics of materials, x-ray diffraction, computational modelling, and data analysis. The Research Engineer will work with Government customers, other ARCTOS personnel, and other Government organizations and contractors in the performance of the following duties:

Requirements

Demonstrated proficiency in planning and executing synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments and reducing resulting datasets.
Strong programming skills in Python, including experience with scientific computing libraries (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib).
Experience with microstructure generation techniques and software.
Familiarity with computational modeling of materials, particularly the crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM).
Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git).
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for effective documentation and knowledge transfer.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
PhD in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
U.S. citizenship is required

Responsibilities

Synchrotron X-ray Experimental Planning and Execution: Collaborate with AFRL and synchrotron staff scientists to design and schedule in-situ HEDM experiments.
Lead the preparation and execution of beamline experiments, including sample preparation and data acquisition.
Develop and refine experimental protocols to maximize data quality and throughput, ensuring the collected data is optimized for subsequent analysis and model integration.
Software and Data Reduction Tool Development: Develop, customize, and apply custom engineering mechanics and design software/scripts (e.g., in Python) to extend capabilities and integrate specialized models.
Create and maintain robust software pipelines for the automated post-processing and reduction of large-scale diffraction datasets.
Deploy and manage data within organized, accessible repositories to facilitate collaboration and future analysis by the broader research team.
Exploration and Implementation of Reduced Order Machine Learning Models: Survey, test, and implement state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to build predictive models from experimental and simulation data.
Work to integrate these ML models with CPFEM results to create a fast, accurate, and validated predictive framework for material behavior.
Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Method Simulation: Instantiate and execute high-fidelity CPFEM simulations that replicate the conditions of the in-situ synchrotron experiments.
Generate large virtual datasets for training, validating, and verifying the reduced-order machine learning models.
Perform one-to-one comparisons between CPFEM outputs and HEDM experimental results to refine model parameters and enhance predictive accuracy.
Research Leadership and Execution: Lead and contribute to research projects, resulting in high-impact publications, technical reports, and transition of technologies to Air Force programs.