Postdoctoral Research Associate- FAST RG: Experimental Thermal Hydraulics/Thermal-Fluids

The Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University, candidates to apply for the Postdoctoral Research Associate - FAST RG: Experimental Thermal Hydraulics/Thermal-Fluids position.

Since its inception in 1996, the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering has brought innovative, real-world engineering education to Central Virginia. Comprised of five different departments plus the Dean’s office, the College of Engineering enrolls more than 2,000 undergraduate and 450 graduate students in several degree programs supported by more than 650 full-time, part-time, and student employees. As part of a premier research university known for tenacity, love of the city of Richmond, and commitment to respect and access, the College of Engineering values the significant and positive impact of our people and ideas in the promotion of regional and global prosperity involving research and life sciences.

Position Responsibilities:

The FAST research group in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering is seeking applications from interested candidates to join as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. In general, postdoctoral research associate will conduct CFD and system level modeling of advanced nuclear and fusion energy systems and support experimental testing in scaled surrogate fluids facilities for both thermal performance and detailed velocimetry (flow visualization) data.

Initially, the research projects for this position will involve supporting a center funded project focused on molten salt flow loop experimental testing using surrogate fluids and computational modeling. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in fluid mechanics, heat transfer and experimental fluid dynamics and heat transfer studies. Current experiments involve the creation of custom in-house built flow loops that use commercial DAQ units. The DAQ units generally require some understanding of electrical circuit wiring including voltage and current outputs from temperature, pressure, and flowrate devices. Experience with post processing software and methods are needed including Python, MATLAB or C++. For experiments, experience in developing, running, and interpreting results from one or more studies is preferred. Experience working with computational modelers for validation or combined experimental/computational studies is preferred. In this position, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to work and collaborate with a vast network of scientists and engineers at VCU, nationally (universities, national laboratories, federal agencies), and international organizations.

Required Qualifications:

- Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field such as Physics.

- Academic background in fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and/or (chemical) transport phenomena

- At least three combined years of experimental testing in thermal hydraulics/thermal-fluids during PhD involving flow loops including working with thermocouples, pressure transducers and flow meters and setting up data acquisitioning equipment (electrical wiring/circuits).

- Ability to mentor junior team members (graduate and undergraduate students), and ensure the highest levels of laboratory safety (ability to handle laboratory hygiene and any findings)

- Excellent communication skills: Ability to communicate verbally (one-on-one, group, and presentations) and non-verbally (email, journal/conference papers)

- Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams

- Ability to work under tight deadlines and short turnaround times

- Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a postdoc at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications: 

- Experience working with experiments involving natural/free circulation of fluids and measurements involving thermocouples, pressure sensors, and indirect flow sensing. Note: A contributed section in DOE report in OSTI would be considered as sufficient.

- Experience doing system modeling and/or CFD modeling of heat transport loops or relevant systems. Note: A contributed section in DOE report in OSTI would be considered as sufficient.

- Experience mentoring students (undergraduate and graduate) and project management to generate deliverables for sponsor deadlines.

- Previous working experience of the CFD code (nek5000/nekRS) as applied to an LWR and/or advanced reactor (HTGR, SFR, MSR, other) with specific experience setting up cases (input decks, post processing), running, troubleshooting, and data analysis resulting in one or more conference/journal publication. Note: A contributed section in DOE report in OSTI would be considered as sufficient.

About the College of Engineering:

Additional information about the department’s programs and faculty may be found at https://egr.vcu.edu/departments/mechanical/.

Unit: College Of Engineering 

Department: Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering

Salary Range: $55,000 - $65,000 / year

Benefits: All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt 

ORP Eligible: Yes

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Emily Perrault
Contact Email: perraultek@vcu.edu