What You Will Do
Sigma Division is seeking postdoctoral candidates to develop and apply computational models for manufacturing process development, optimization, materials compatibility, and lifetime prediction. This position will support a broad range of metals and materials processing efforts, with a primary emphasis on casting, heat treatment, thermal-mechanical distortion, and process-structure-property relationships. The successful candidate will work with a mentor and interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, technicians, and technologists to build predictive models, validate those models against experimental data, and translate results into actionable guidance for Los Alamos National Laboratory mission programs.
The Sigma Complex is a unique prototyping and fabrication facility that provides materials, components, manufacturing science, and process development to Los Alamos experimental programs. Sigma Division works across a wide materials space, including metal alloys, ceramics, composites, and unconventional materials, and supports national security missions through research, development, and applied manufacturing capabilities.
Modeling efforts may include, but are not limited to:
- Metal casting, solidification dynamics, and heat-transfer-driven process behavior
- Casting and heat-treatment distortion, residual stress, and thermal-mechanical deformation
- Mass transfer, fluid flow, gas-solid interactions, and diffusion modeling
- Heat treatment response, microstructure evolution, thermodynamics, and kinetics
- Electrochemical forming, etching, corrosion, and related materials compatibility phenomena
- Coupling of computational simulation with experimental process data for model validation and process optimization
Specific projects and processes will be shaped by the candidate's expertise and interests, mission needs within the team, and available funding. The postdoctoral researcher will be expected to help guide the technical direction of their project with their mentor, conduct independent research in small teams, communicate results clearly, and support smooth handoff of validated models or findings for future application.
The successful candidate will communicate results through oral briefings, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations. The role requires strong organization, technical judgment, and the ability to work effectively in a team-based research and experimental facility environment.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
- Demonstrated experience developing, implementing, and validating computational simulation models for materials, manufacturing processes, or coupled physical phenomena.
- Demonstrated experience with multiphysics, finite element, molecular dynamics, computational fluid dynamics, or related process modeling tools such as Abaqus, ANSYS, COMSOL, STAR-CCM+, Flow3D, OpenFOAM, MOOSE, LAMMPS, MATLAB, Python-based simulation workflows, or comparable commercial or custom software.
- Programming or scripting experience, preferably with Python, C++, Java, MATLAB, or a comparable language used for model development, data analysis, workflow automation, or numerical simulation.
- Technical knowledge relevant to one or more of the following areas: heat transfer, solidification, diffusion, fluid flow, thermodynamics, kinetics, microstructure evolution, thermal-mechanical deformation, residual stress, corrosion, or materials compatibility.
- Ability to conduct independent research while working effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- Demonstrated written and oral communication skills, including the ability to document research methods, present technical findings, and communicate with scientists, engineers, technicians, technologists, and program stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability or potential to publish research in peer-reviewed journals, present at technical conferences, and contribute to proposals for research and development funding.
- Ability to work successfully in a complex regulatory environment and experimental facility.
- Ability to obtain a Q clearance, which normally requires U.S. citizenship.
Training/Certifications: None required. LANL-specific training for facility access, conduct of operations, radiological work, safety, security, and other work controls will be provided as required by assigned activities.
Education/Experience: A Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, metallurgical and materials engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, applied physics, computational engineering, or a related field completed within the last five years, or soon to be completed, is required.
Desired Qualifications:
- Research experience in casting, heat treatment, thermal-mechanical distortion, residual stress prediction, or process modeling for metallic materials.
- Experience coupling simulation results with experimental data for calibration, validation, uncertainty quantification, sensitivity analysis, or process optimization.
- Experience with gas-solid interaction, diffusion, materials compatibility, corrosion, or lifetime prediction models.
- Experience using artificial intelligence, machine learning, surrogate modeling, reduced-order modeling, or optimization methods in combination with physics-based simulation.
- Experience with commercial or open-source engineering tools such as COMSOL, Abaqus, STAR-CCM+, Flow3D, OpenFOAM, MOOSE, LAMMPS, MATLAB, CREO, SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Catia, AutoCAD, or related tools.
- Hands-on or collaborative experience with manufacturing or materials-processing experiments, particularly casting, heat treating, forming, or other metals-processing operations.
- Demonstrated record of working safely and productively in laboratory, manufacturing, industrial, or regulated experimental environments.
- Self-motivated research style, technical curiosity, and a record of contributing effectively within small interdisciplinary teams.
- Active DOE Q clearance or other active federal security clearance.
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Note to Applicants:
Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
For full consideration, applicants should submit a resume or curriculum vitae and a cover letter that addresses how they meet the required and desired qualifications. Applicants are encouraged to describe relevant modeling tools, programming languages, simulation methods, experimental validation experience, publications, and research interests related to manufacturing process modeling.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
§ Dental and vision insurance
§ Free basic life and disability insurance
§ Paid childbirth and parental leave
§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs
§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
- Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to
[email protected] or call (505)-664-6947.
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