Sigma-Process Modeling Post-Doctoral Research Associate

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.

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.

• 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

• 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.

• Research experience in casting, heat treatment,…