Detonation Physics Postdoctoral Research Associate

What You Will Do

The Shock and Detonation Physics Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking an outstanding candidate for a postdoctoral position as part of the new Strategic Partnership and Accelerated Research Collaboration (SPARC) program between LANL and the University of Michigan (U-M). This joint research environment is located on the U-M campus in Ann Arbor, MI and co-locates LANL scientists with U-M faculty and students to enable unique collaboration opportunities and scientific breakthroughs.

This position has broad scope for the development of new computational tools for the calibration of detonation models for energetic materials. Of particular interest is the development of frameworks that couple physics-based detonation models with modern AI/ML orchestration layers to systematically quantify model reliability and guide the design of high-value simulations and experiments. This position will foster expertise in the numerical simulation of condensed-phase and gaseous explosives, model calibration and uncertainty quantification, verification and validation, and the intelligent allocation of computational and experimental resources.

Initial projects will focus on one or more of the following milestones:

• Develop AI-driven frameworks for adaptive model calibration and experimental design
• Derive novel modeling paradigms and constitutive closures for high-speed reacting flows
• Develop reduced-order modeling capabilities across a multi-fidelity simulation hierarchy
• Inform experimental design at LANL for calibration and validation of energetic materials

The position will be located at the SPARC center in Ann Arbor, MI.

• A Ph.D. in Computational Science, Engineering, or Applied Mathematics
• Background in high-speed compressible flow physics of gaseous and/or condensed phase materials
• Proficiency in Python, modern Fortran, and/or C++
• Strong record of publications commensurate with experience
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to obtain a DOE Q Clearance, which typically requires US Citizenship

Education/

Experience:

A Ph.D. in Computational Science, Engineering, or Applied Mathematics completed within the last five years or soon to be completed.

• Numerical simulation of compressible detonating flows and energetics
• Multi-fidelity and/or reduced-order modeling techniques in reactive flows
• Model calibration, uncertainty quantification, and design of experiments
• Parametrization of condensed phase explosive constitutive models
• AI/ML techniques for data analysis, surrogate modeling, or agentic/LLM-based orchestration

The work location for this position is onsite and located in SPARC center in Ann Arbor, MI. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

• This position will be located at the SPARC center located at the University of Michigan and Ann Arbor.
• Applicants should submit a CV and cover letter. The cover letter should be composed of a one-page career narrative followed by a bulleted list of the applicant's relevant experience for each requirement.
• Anticipate active participation in academic scientific conferences, including the International Symposium on Combustion, the International Conference on Numerical Combustion, the International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosions and Reactive Systems, and more.
• For more information about SPARC, please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-sparc
• For more details regarding this position, please send inquiries to michigan-sparc

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