Research Scientist in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

University of Virginia

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Virginia, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, is seeking a highly motivated applicant to join the Center for Applied Biomechanics (CAB) as a Research Scientist. The CAB is a globally recognized research center dedicated to advancing safety through rigorous biomechanics research. CAB integrates experimental testing, computational modeling, and real-world crash data analysis to advance the understanding of human injury mechanisms and to improve protection systems across automotive, sports, and military environments. Internationally recognized as a leader in injury biomechanics, the center studies how the human body responds under impact conditions and translates this knowledge into effective injury prevention strategies.

Requirements

• PhD or a master’s degree with significant experience in mechanical or a related engineering discipline by the start date.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated ability in finite element modeling, particularly with the LS-Dyna or VPS solver
• Experience in crash/impact simulations and the development of vehicle, dummy, and human body models, including the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) and the Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) models
• Expertise in the field of automobile safety and injury biomechanics
• Experience in numerical model creation including laser scanning and medical image segmentation to obtain 3-d geometries, and the use of HyperMesh or similar software to mesh these geometries for use in finite element modeling
• A demonstrated record of academic publishing and conference presentations
• Superior oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a combination of computational analyses and experimental investigations in automobile safety, vehicle crashworthiness, and in injury biomechanics
• Supporting team efforts to apply for and obtain competitive research funding support
• Publish results in high-impact journals
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees