Postdoctoral Fellow, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering

Job Title

Postdoctoral Fellow, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering

Weekly scheduled hours: 40. FLSA status:
Exempt. Earliest start date:
Immediately. Position duration:
Expected to continue until February 16, 2027.

Location:

UT main campus.

As a top‑10 engineering school with the No. 1 program in Texas, the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has been a global leader in technology innovation and engineering education for over a century. With 11 undergraduate and 13 graduate programs, over 20 research centers and a faculty community that boasts one of the highest number of National Academy of Engineering members among U.S. universities, Texas Engineering has launched some of the nation’s most accomplished leaders and pioneered world‑changing solutions in virtually every industry, from space exploration to energy to health care.

Situated in the heart of Austin — named “America’s Coolest City” by Expedia and “The Best Place to Live in the U.S.” by U.S. News and World Report — the Cockrell School embodies the city’s innovative spirit.

To advance the state‑of‑the‑art in chemistry modeling of molten salt reactors and support the development of chemistry‑specific digital twins of molten salt systems.

This temporary postdoctoral position will advance the state‑of‑the‑art in chemistry modeling of molten salt reactors and support the development of chemistry‑specific digital twins of molten salt systems. The successful applicant will report directly to Dr. Shayan Shahbazi and Dr. Kevin Clarno, conduct independent research, mentor students, publish results, and support faculty on grant proposals.

• Conduct independent research.
• Mentor students in the research group.
• Publish results in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Support faculty on writing research grant proposals.

• Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or Chemistry received within the past 3 years.
• Demonstrated coursework and research experience in radiochemistry, computational chemistry, and/or nuclear materials science.

• Experience with Python, machine learning techniques, and any of the following tools is desired:
  Fact Sage, PyCalphad, Thermochimica, MSTDB‑TC, MSTDB‑TP, SAM, Pronghorn, Nek, MOOSE‑based tools, Cardinal, Griffin, or OpenMC.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

$80,000

• May work in standard office conditions.
• May require repetitive use of keyboard at a workstation.
• May require use of manual dexterity.
• May work around chemicals.
• May work around electrical and mechanical hazards.
• May involve lifting and moving.

• Resume/CV.
• 3 work references with contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.
• Letter of interest.

You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new resume for subsequent applications. Any additional required materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the application questions section.

As a current employee or contingent worker, you must apply within Workday by searching for “Find UT Jobs.” Log in, update your professional profile, and submit your application through Workday.

Ensure you meet all the required qualifications and can perform all essential functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status.

The University of Texas at Austin will not…